Extension of the gurson model accounting for the void size effect

A continuum model of solids with cylindrical microvoids is proposed based on the Taylor dislocation model. The model is an extension of Gurson model in the sense that the void size effect is accounted for. Beside the void volume fraction f, the intrinsic material length l becomes a parameter representing voids since the void size comes into play in the Gurson model. Approximate yield functions in analytic forms are suggested for both solids with cylindrical microvoids and with spherical microvoids. The application to uniaxial tension curves shows a precise agreement between the approximate analytic yield function and the exact parametric form of integrals.

The indenter tip radius effect in micro- and nanoindentation hardness experiments

Nix and Gao established an important relation between the microindentation hardness and indentation depth. Such a relation has been verified by many microindentation experiments （indentation depths in the micrometer range）, but it does not always hold in nanoindentation experiments （indentation depths approaching the nanometer range）. Indenter tip radius effect has been proposed by Qu et al. and others as possibly the main factor that causes the deviation from Nix and Gao＇s relationship. We have developed an indentation model for micro- and nanoindentation, which accounts for two indenter shapes, a sharp, conical indenter and a conical indenter with a spherical tip. The analysis is based on the conventional theory of mechanism-based strain gradient plasticity established from the Taylor dislocation model to account for the effect of geometrically necessary dislocations. The comparison between numerical result and Feng and Nix＇s experimental data shows that the indenter tip radius effect indeed causes the deviation from Nix-Gao relation, but it seems not be the main factor.