Evaluation of methods for mechanical properties estimation using instrumented indentation testing: a review

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a review of a different number of systematics for the estimation of elastoplastic properties of metallic and ceramic materials by instrumented indentation testing. The analyzed methodologies include Oliver and Pharr's original methodology and a modification of the contact depth function in order to make it closer to experimental measurements besides different analytical methods based on strain energy (Stilwell e Tabor; Tuck Giannakopoulos and Suresh and Malzbender). The results obtained for the Young’s modulus and hardness resulting from the application of the proposed methodologies were compared with the values obtained in the literature for the austenitic stainless steel 316L, aluminum oxide and iron chromium boride. In general, the results obtained for the hardness and modulus of elasticity calculated using the different systematics presented good coherence with the values of the literature, however some methodologies required the application of correction factors for the correct characterization of the properties of the samples.

Keywords
Instrumented Indentation; Oliver and Pharr; Energy Methods; Mechanical Properties