FEM-simulation of damage in coated samples caused by wedge-shaped bodies

The finite element program MARC® serves as a convenient tool to simulate microhardness testing procedures on a wide range of homogeneous and inhomogeneous materials, and an unlimited variety of indenter shapes. The items considered are: (i) imprints with wedge shaped bodies into coated samples (two-dimensional problems). (ii) Imprint with a Vickers indenter into a homogeneous sample (a three-dimensional problem). For microhardness testing simulations, the program was prepared to deal with the decision as to whether a material is cut through by the indenter or just embossed. The investigations reveal the possibility of calculating the Vickers hardness of any combination of isotropic materials, coated or uncoated, from mechanical properties derived from uniaxial tensile tests.