Abstract
In this letter the author examines the consequences of a very small surface step on the mechanics of contact in indentation using linear continuum elasticity. Surface steps are shown to lead to a loss of contact in the vicinity of the surface steps as well as a singular contact pressure distribution. This singularity exists for any finite surface step height and leads to shear stress concentration in the bulk material that declines in proportion to the inverse of distance from the surface step. This concentration facilitates the nucleation of dislocations and lowers the threshold for onset of plasticity in nanoindentation.
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