Quasi-static indentation modelling of aluminium specimen using finite element analysis

The influence of different types of rigid hemispherical and conical indenters on a rectangular specimen of aluminium has been investigated, in the small indenter test. A 3-D finite-element FE model was used to carry out the computation of the elastic-plastic solution of different rigid hemispherical and conical indenters. Three hemispherical-headed and four conical-headed indenters were designed and developed for testing. FE software ABAQUS® has been used to determine the load vs. indenter-displacement curves, reaction forces, deformation contours and Von-Mises stresses. The FE model was validated by comparing the results with the experimental data received from the Hertz Contact Theory and was found to be in reasonably good agreement.