An energy-balance analysis for the size effect in low-load hardness testing

The size effect in low-load hardness testing is analyzed theoretically using an energy-balance approach. A new semi-empirical equation is proposed to correlate the hardness test load and the resulting indentation size. The validity of this new equation is verified by analyzing the previously reported experimental data. It is found that the value of true hardness of material estimated with this new equation is independent of the indentor geometry as well as indentation size. (C) 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers.