be presented, showing how AFC integration affects laminate integrity. Finally, methods will be presented to improve the reliability and performance of AFC via different packaging methods, which modify the mechanical boundary conditions of the AFC in relation to the laminate material. • AFC Reliability Characterization focuses on the AFC properties as component in a smart materials system. Important topics includes: limits of AFC performance ability, damage mechanisms, and assessment of AFC fatigue reliability. • AFC Damage Evolution and Modeling seeks to quantify in the virtual environment the results observed experimentally and the use of those findings to aide in the design smart material systems with an eye towards assuring reliability of the active material. • Laminate Integrity Analysis focuses on the passive structural component once integrated with AFC, which is very important from an application engineering perspective. This chapter explores the impact of AFC integration on laminate tensile properties and how to manage that impact. • AFC Packaging Strategies investigates how to integrate the AFC with the passive material with the goal of modifying the local loading environment to the AFC to improve the robustness of the element and modify AFC characteristics while improving long tern reliability.
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