Computational study on the effect of anisotropy in the transversely isotropic elasticity of elastoplastic solids on depth-sensing indentation with a point-sharp indenter

Abstract

This study investigated depth-sensing indentation via finite element simulation using a sharp-pointed indenter on elastoplastic solids (EPSs) with transversely isotropic elasticity (TIE). It aims to quantify the effect of elastic anisotropy on the relationship between the indentation load, P, and the penetration depth of the indenter, h, that is, the P-h curve. The anisotropy of both Young’s modulus, E, and shear modulus, G, significantly affected the P-h curve. To quantify this effect, the revised Sneddon’s equation was modified as a function of the elastic anisotropy. The validity of an equation, which was developed elsewhere for isotropic elastoplastic solids, to extract the indentation elastic parameter from the P-h curve for EPSs with TIE was confirmed, where the parameter was given as a function of the relative residual depth and indentation unloading parameter. Using these equations, we obtained both the elastic and plastic deformation resistances in the indentation direction as functions of anisotropy in E and G for the EPSs with TIE. This study provides a method to quantify the influence of elastic anisotropy on the P-h curve, offering valuable insights for designing and predicting the mechanical properties of anisotropic materials in practical engineering applications.