Finite Element Modeling of Brinell and Rockwell Hardness Testing of Metals

Hardness test results provide a convenient and economical means of specifying material performance characteristics and are useful in quality control. Quantifiable hardness testing is at least 150 years old but, due to the complex deformation processes that occur during indentation, in many ways physical insights on the test are still lacking. Finite element codes can now accurately simulate complex, time-varying stress and strain states. Such codes can be used as a tool to study the hardness test and with the knowledge gained perhaps make such testing more useful for validating the material models used for impact simulations. In this paper the EPIC finite element code with the Johnson-Cook strength model was used to numerically simulate. Brinell, and Rockwell B, C, and F hardness tests (as appropriate) for 24 different metals.