Search

The present paper is concerned with the effects of couple stress and loading width on the stress distributions in an indentation test specimen. An analytical solution was obtained by the Fourier expansion method. Results are as follows.(1) The effect of couple stress is predominant. The larger the material parameter implying the micro-bending rigidity is, the larger decrease there is in the magnitude of stress generally so but especially in the tensile stress in the central region of the specimen.(2) The effect of the loading width on the stress distribution is secondary, as compared with that of couple stress and is limited to the vicinity of the loaded boundary.(3) As the Poisson's ratio increases, the magnitude of both compressive and tensile stresses generally decreases. The effect of the Poisson's ratio, however, is secondary as compared with that of couple stress.