Experimental and numerical investigations of near-crack-tip deformation in a solder alloy

Using the element-based image correlation technique, near-crack-tip surface deformations were measured for a stationary crack in SnCu solder alloy and compared with predictions from finite element analysis. Results indicate that experimentally measured displacement fields agree well with numerical solutions in the whole load history when the rate-dependent plasticity of the solder alloy is modeled. Deformation measurements were validated by the agreement of stress intensity factors at low loading conditions evaluated from experimental displacement data and from remote loads and specimen geometry. The linear relationship between the pseudo-crack-tip opening displacement and the generalized J-integral is confirmed in this study.