Thermal Generalized Stress Intensity Factors in 2-D Domains

Lately, methods that are capable of predicting failure initiation and propagation in structural components subjected to thermal loads have been sought. It is postulated, as in the theory of linear elastic fracture mechanics, that the methods should correlate experimental observed failures to parameters characterizing the thermoelastic stress field in the vicinity of failure initiation points. Failures due to thermal loading occur, for example, in integrated circuits, which are assemblages of dissimilar materials with different thermal and mechanical properties (addressed in Chapter 9). The mismatch of elastic constants and thermal expansion coefficients causes stress intensification at corners of interfaces and may lead to mechanical failure.