Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue Failure Simulation and Life Prediction of Solder Joints Using the Maximum Entropy Fracture Model

In this study, an advanced methodology is introduced for the simulation and prediction of thermo-mechanical fatigue failure in solder joints, integrating the maximum entropy principle, the Anand viscoplasticity model, the non-local damage technique, and the cycle-jumping acceleration algorithm. This integrated approach has been implemented through user subroutines in the commercial software ABAQUS. A specifically designed specimen is utilized to verify the applicability of the methodology. The calibration of the damage parameter in the maximum entropy model is achieved through shear fatigue experiments, followed by the damage simulation and life prediction of solder joint. The prediction results obtained using the proposed method are then validated against experimental data from thermal cycling tests. It can be confirmed that the method has the capability to accurately simulate the observed phenomena, elucidate solder joint failure mechanisms, and improve the precision of fatigue life predictions for solder joints in electronic packaging.