Yield Inception of a Coated Substrate Indented by a Rigid Sphere

Yield inception of a coated substrate indented by a rigid sphere is analyzed using finite element analysis. The critical interference is studied as a function of film thickness and material properties of both the film and the substrate. The results show that critical interference, corresponding to yield inception of the coated substrate, is a strong function of the film thickness, the Young’s modulus, and the yield strength of both the film and the substrate.