Pore-space controlled hardening model in plasticity of porous materials: application to the analysis of indentation experiments

Abstract

Based on a multi-scale approach comprising a multi-scale material model and a respective finite-element (FE) analysis tool, the indentation response of porous materials is examined in this paper. The considered material is assumed to consist of a homogeneous Drucker-Prager-type matrix-phase and spherical pores. Non-linear homogenization is employed to derive both a strength criterion and a hardening rule at the macroscopic scale without the need of any additional non-physical material parameters. Hereby, the underlying macroscopic hardening is exclusively controlled by the evolution of the porespace during loading. The material model is implemented in a FE program within the framework of elastoplasticity. The so-obtained analysis tool is applied to the analysis of indentation experiments commonly used for characterization and performance-based optimization of materials.