Abstract This study aimeds at investigating the mechanical behavior of an E-glass fiber-reinforced epoxy resin of a laminated composite sandwich with honeycomb core and a central hole, used in the aeronautics industry submitted to bending loading. Three analytical failure models applied to laminated composites were compared in order to study the influence of stress concentration due to a central hole. The following criteria were assessed: Average Stress Criterion (ASC), Point Stress Criterion (PSC) and the Inherent Flaw Model (IFM). These models were applied to experimental data obtained in a four-point bending test in samples of the sandwich laminate. Finally, modifications on failure prediction models were proposed and appied in sandwich laminates with a central hole. The results obtained showed the applicability of the proposed formulation and that the suggested changes to the model more adequately fit it to the experimental data.

In this study, the numerical analysis of instrumented indentation testing was combined with the experimental procedure to evaluate the mechanical properties and thickness of a titanium nitride (TiN) film deposited on titanium substrate (Ti) by plasma processing. TiN film thickness is an important parameter for the surface treatment industry. In numerical analysis, the finite elements method (FEM) was applied using Marc™ commercial software. Initially, the mechanical properties of the film and substrate were determined using a numerical-experimental methodology, combining the results of indentation testing with a Berkovich indenter and the same numerical simulation for both the film and substrate. Next, the behavior of instrumented Vickers hardness as a function of maximum indenter penetration depth (hmax) was compared with the numerical results of this hardness as a function of the ratio between penetration depth and film thickness (hmax/t). Both curves were fitted using power law equations, which calculated film thickness applying a new convergence algorithm. Finally, it also was shown that the film thickness obtained agrees with the experimental range reported in the literature.

RESUMO Recentes trabalhos propõem a utilização dos ensaios de indentação como uma ferramenta capaz de avaliar características mecânicas de filmes finos, assim como avaliar possíveis falhas em sistemas que conjugam filmes de alta dureza depositados em substratos metálicos em solicitações tribológicas. Entretanto, a implementação da técnica de indentação para a avaliação do comportamento destes sistemas filme/substrato e os seus resultados, continuam ocasionando dúvidas no meio científico. Em função destas incertezas na análise do ensaio de indentação, o uso da análise numérica capaz de avaliar os campos de tensões e de deformações durante o ciclo de indentação pode auxiliar em uma interpretação mais segura deste ensaio. Por isso, este trabalho tem como objetivo utilizar o Método dos Elementos Finitos (MEF) para simular ensaios de indentação em um filme de Nitreto de Cromo e Alumínio (CrAlN) de alta dureza depositado em um substrato de aço carbono. Foram usados dois diferentes modelos de danos para avaliar os processos de fratura que ocorrem nestes ensaios de indentação. O primeiro foi o modelo de trinca difusa e o segundo foi o modelo de delaminação, ambos presentes no software comercial de elementos finitos MARC™. Os processos de fratura observados nestas simulações foram comparados com outros resultados apresentados na literatura especializada. Por fim, o uso concomitantemente dos dois modelos de danos foi uma nova abordagem para o estudo de falhas nos ensaios de indentação em filmes finos.

ABSTRACT Recent studies propose using indentation testing as a tool to assess the mechanical characteristics of thin films, as well as evaluate possible cracking in systems that conjugate films with high hardness values deposited on metallic substrates in tribological solicitations. However, implementing the indentation technique to assess the behavior of these film/substrate systems, and their results continue to raise doubts in the scientific community. Because of these uncertainties in the studies of the indentation testing, the use of numerical analysis capable of evaluating stress and strain fields during the indentation cycle may help better interpret this test. As such, this study aimed to use the finite element method (FEM) to simulate indentation testing of Chronium Aluminum Nitride (CrAlN) high-hardness film deposited in a carbon steel substrate. Two different damage models were used to assess the fracture processes that occur in these testing. The first was the diffuse cracking model and the second the delamination model, both present in MARC™ finite element software. The fracture processes observed in these simulations were compared with other published results. Finally, the concomitant use of these two damage models was a new approach to the study of indentation testing damage in thin films.

In recent decades, changes in the surface properties of materials have been used to improve their tribology characteristics. However, this improvement depends on the process, treatment time and, essentially, the thickness of this surface film layer. Physical vapor deposition (PVD) has been used to increase the surface hardness of metallic materials. The aim of the present study was to propose a numerical-experimental method to assess the thickness (l) of films deposited by PVD. To reach this objective, Vickers experimental hardness data (HV) assays were combined with numerical simulation to study the behavior of this property as a function of maximum penetration depth of the indenter (hmax) into the film/substrate conjugate. A strategy was developed to combine the numerical results of the H x hmax/l curve with Vickers experimental hardness data (HV). This methodology was applied to a TiN-coated M2 tool steel conjugate. The mechanical properties of the studied materials were also determined. The thickness results calculated for this conjugate were compatible with their experimental data.

This paper describes a numerical simulation and experimental study of the Vickers indentation testing of WC-6Co specimens. The numerical analysis was implemented by a three-dimensional finite element (FE) model using the commercial solver MARC™. Hardness values predicted by this model agreed well with those obtained experimentally. It was also observed that the load-displacement curves obtained numerically were quite similar to those presented by the literature for the Vickers testing. The maximum principal stress field was used to locate the most expected areas for crack formation and propagation during the Vickers indentation testing of WC-6Co.