Estimation of elastic-plastic tensile properties using nano-indentation tests and FE simulations

This paper discusses possibilities to extract elastic-plastic properties of nano-scale materials using combined nano-indentation tests with FE simulations. One interesting finding is that FE simulations of nano-indentation with a number of different plastic properties give same load-displacement response, which suggests that plastic properties cannot be determined from simulating load-depth curves from nano-indentation tests. However, careful examination of possible plastic properties suggests a concept of the reference strain, which makes it possible to effectively determine plastic properties from nano-indentation tests with FE simulations.