Abstract
An analysis is made of the relationship between load and crack extension in the Hertzian indentation of a solid surface with a spherical indentor. The cracking behaviour is examined as a function of both the Poisson ratio of the solid and the position of the Hertzian ring-crack relative to the indentor. On the basis of this analysis it is proposed that the minimum load for ring-crack formation becomes independent of the flaws in the solid if these have a size above a certain threshold value. With this assumption, it is possible to determine the fracture surface energy and fracture toughness ( K IC ) of a material by measurement of the critical cracking load, knowing only that flaws exist in the sample above the threshold size. The principles of the analysis are used in an evaluation of an experimental study of the Hertzian cracking behaviour of the transition metal carbides. TiC, ZrC, VC and WC.
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