Using hertzian indentation to understand the strength and ballistic resistance of silicon carbide

This article presents an initial evaluation of the usefulness of spherical or Hertzian indentation for the determination and/or validation of constitutive models and for a potential link to ballistic resistance (interface defeat). Recent advancements in producing more confident elevated stress levels in Hertzian indentation make the usefulness of this test much more feasible. There are very few experimental techniques that can produce the high stresses, strains, and pressures produced in Hertzian indentation tests. Additionally, they are also relatively simple, repeatable, timely, and inexpensive. There is still the disadvantage that the stresses, strains, and pressures are not explicit outputs of the experiments requiring the constitutive response to be inferred by performing computations and comparing the computed force-deflection results to the experiment. Preliminary results indicate that Hertzian indentation can be used to help define the constitutive response but it is still uncertain if it can be used to rank a ceramic's ability to produce interface defeat.