Simulation of an aluminum thick wire bond fatigue crack by means of the cohesive zone method

In this study possibilities are investigated to use the cohesive zone method for numerical calculation of fatigue crack growth through the interface area of aluminum thick wire bond joints. For that purpose a detailed three-dimensional model of a wire bond joint is built. Two approaches are investigated to describe the fatigue crack growth: explicit calculation of a large number of cycles and crack growth prediction using a crack growth law like the Paris' law. Both methods are shown to be theoretically feasible and challenges and limits of the cohesive zone method are described.