This tutorial illustrates design situation where excessive elastic deformations can compromise system performance, thereby acting as a failure mechanism. models are presented, based on continuum mechanics, to design against such failures. Two examples illustrate the use of these models in practical design situations in electronic packaging and in mechanical systems. The examples use deterministic models, for simplicity of presentation. In reality, each of the variables in the design equation is uncertain, eg, geometric dimensions, material properties, and applied loads, If these uncertainties are important then they must be accounted for by the usual statistical methods.

Complete article is available to CALCE Consortium Members.

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