Brinell indentation behavior of the stainless steel X2CrNi18-9: Modeling and experiments

Abstract

Stainless steel X2CrNi18-9 plays an important role in many industrial fields, namely in the agro alimentary industry based on its corrosion resistance. Meanwhile, its mechanical and tribological resistance still presents a challenge. In the olive oil extraction industry, the stainless steel X2CrNi18-9 presents a complex damage mechanism under concentrated load. In the present study, a Brinell indentation test was carried out on the stainless steel X2CrNi18-9 under a load range between F = 10 N and F = 613 N. A three-dimensional finite element (FE) model has been elaborated in order to simulate and understand the mechanical response under this specific concentrated load given by the Brinell test. The mechanical behavior of stainless steel has been described by the Johnson-Cook elasto-plastic model and its damage mode by the Johnson-Cook failure model. The main experimental and numerical results show a stress concentration in the border and in the center of the indents throughout the indentation tests caused by the plastic deformation. The SEM investigations show typical indents increasing in size with increasing load and a pile-up phenomenon as a result of a large E/Y ratio (Young's modulus/yield stress). The elaborated FE numerical model of the Brinell indentation test shows a very satisfactory correlation to the experimental test results.