A "Partitioned-Problem" Approach To Microstructural Modeling Of A Glass-Ceramic

The indentation response of a mica-containing glass-ceramic is studied. Hertzian cone cracks, which normally occur in briggle materials that have been loaded with a hard spherical indenter, are suppressed in favour of distributed subsurface damage, which is indicative of yield. Theoretical analysis, finite-element modeling, and experimental results are used to establish a connection between the macroscopic behaviour of the material and events that occur on a microstructural scale. This association is achieved by first determining the macroscopic material properties, such as the yield stress and the strain-hardening index, in terms of the microstructure.