Experimental analysis of indentation morphologies after spherical indentation

Indentation morphologies depend on the mechanical properties of materials, especially the strain-hardening exponent and yield strength-to-elastic modulus ratio. Hernot et al.¹ described a model that can be used to obtain the indentation morphology index from properties determined in tensile tests. The model is used here with two aluminum alloys and 1020 steel tested under spherical indentation with different loads and ball diameters. There was good agreement between the values predicted by the model and the experimental findings for all the materials tested except partially recovered AA1350 aluminum alloy (H24 condition). This exception is discussed and a possible explanation for it is sought in other experimental deviations and in microstructural inhomogeneities.