Plastic Zone Size at Sharp Indentation of Classical Elastic–Plastic Materials: Behavior at Ideally Plastic Hardening

Abstract

Sharp indentation problems are examined based on finite element methods (FEMs) and selfsimilarity considerations. The analysis concerns classical elastic–plastic materials with low, or no, strainhardening and especially the details of the behavior of the size of the plastic zone are at issue. The results are correlated using a single parameter, comprising both geometrical and mechanical properties, and compared with previously presented semianalytical findings. The numerical analysis is restricted to cone indentation of elasticideally plastic materials.