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An energy-based method for analyzing instrumented spherical indentation experiments

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Abstract

Using dimensional analysis and finite element calculation, we studied spherical indentation in elastic–plastic solids with work hardening. We report two previously unknown relationships between hardness, reduced modulus, indentation depth, indenter radius, and work of indentation. These relationships, together with the relationship between initial unloading stiffness and reduced modulus, provide an energy-based method for determining contact area, reduced modulus, and hardness of materials from instrumented spherical indentation measurements. This method also provides a means for calibrating the effective radius of imperfectly shaped spherical indenters. Finally, the method is applied to the analysis of instrumented spherical indentation experiments on copper, aluminum, tungsten, and fused silica.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials and Processes Laboratory, General Motors Research and Development Center, Warren, Michigan, 48090, USA

    Wangyang Ni

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA

    Wangyang Ni & David S. Grummon

  3. Materials and Processes Laboratory, General Motors Research and Development Center, Warren, Michigan, 48090, USA

    Yang-Tse Cheng

  4. Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100080, People’s Republic of China

    Che-Min Cheng

Authors
  1. Wangyang Ni
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  2. Yang-Tse Cheng
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  3. Che-Min Cheng
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  4. David S. Grummon
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Additional information

This author was an editor of this focus issue during the review and decision stage. For the JMR policy on review and publication of manuscripts authored by editors, please refer to http://www.mrs.org/publications/jmr/policy.html

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Ni, W., Cheng, YT., Cheng, CM. et al. An energy-based method for analyzing instrumented spherical indentation experiments. Journal of Materials Research 19, 149–157 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2004.19.1.149

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2004.19.1.149

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