Analysis of Hygrothermal Stresses in a Viscoelastic Thin Film

This paper deals with the stress singularity induced at the interface corner between the viscoelastic thin film and the rigid substrate subjected to the combined influence of temperature change and moisture absorption. A boundary element analysis is employed to investigate the behavior of interface stresses. The film is assumed to be thermorheologically simple. It is further assumed that moisture effects are analogous to thermal effects. Numerical results are presented for a given viscoelastic model, indicating the singular residual stresses induced during cooling down from the curing temperature, and how they can be altered by subsequent moisture absorption at room temperature.