Finite element analysis of indentation experiments

There are only a few methods suitable for a quantitative characterization of the mechanical properties of surfaces and surface coatings, the indentation testing is one of those methods. In order to improve the indentation test and to gather more information on the complete deformation process within the specimen finite element calculations were carried out using special contact elements to represent the contact conditions between indentor and surface. It is shown that the indentation process depends on a variety of parameters given by the test system, i.e. the material to be investigated as well as the test device. A separation of the parameter dependencies can only be acchieved by a combination of both, experimental and numerical in- vestigations. Examplarily it is shown that the numerical calculations are in very good agreement with analytical solutions and experimental results.