  Microcantilever specimens for in-plane and out-ofplane bending tests are here
analyzed. Experimental validation of 2D and 3D numerical models is performed.
Main features of in-plane and out-of-plane layouts are then discussed.
Effectiveness of plane models to predict pull-in in presence of geometric
nonlinearity due to a large tip displacement and initial curvature of microbeam
is investigated. The paper is aimed to discuss the capability of 2D models to
be used as compact tools to substitute some model order reduction techniques,
which appear unsuitable in presence of both electromechanical and geometric
nonlinearities.
