A cohesive zone model for low cycle fatigue life prediction of solder joints

A cohesive zone model is proposed in this paper in an effort to predict the low cycle fatigue life of solder joints plastically deformed under cyclic loading. Damage mechanics is incorporated into the cohesive law to account for the gradual loss of stiffness and strength of solder materials under cyclic loading. The damage evolution law is assumed to be a function of accumulated plastic strain. It has been demonstrated that, once the parameters of the cohesive zone model are determined via one particular cyclic test, it is then able to predict the fatigue life of solder joints made of the same materials system under different loading conditions.