Indentation Fracture Strength and Toughness of Brittle Materials in Design

The goal of this book is to increase the utilization of glasses, ceramics, semiconductors, and similar brittle materials in load-bearing applications by demonstrating experimental indentation techniques to better characterize fracture. By using existing analyses, the major structural properties of brittle materials—strength and toughness—can be simply and easily compared and ranked, thus facilitating the use of such materials. The techniques demonstrated will enable better design, manufacture, performance, and reliability of brittle materials for use as elements in structural components. A primary focus of the book therefore is demonstration of controlled flaw indentation-strength measurements.

The book can be viewed as two parts. In the first part, Chapters 1–5, indentation fracture mechanics is developed and applied to indentation crack lengths and, particularly, indentation strengths. Indentation strengths, as one of the most important aspects of load bearing performance of brittle materials, are surveyed extensively. In the second part, Chapters 6–11, case studies of applications of indentation fracture are presented, each highlighting a different aspect of controlled flaw fracture measurements. Many of these case studies illuminate flaws and behavior that are encountered day to day in brittle materials—chips, scratches, fragments, and wear.