Mechanical analysis of indentation cracking in Al2O3/ZrO2 nanostructured laminated ceramics

Residual stress is not the only driving force for indentation cracking in Al2O3/ZrO2 laminated ceramics. An additional driving force is induced by martensitic transformation in the plastic zone beneath the indenter, whereas surface residual compressive stress controls the expansion of surface cracks. Contributions of the transformation driving force and surface residual stress are not considered in the traditional indentation and indentation-strength theory. Therefore, fracture toughness value measured by the traditional methods is usually lower than the practical one in Al2O3/ZrO2 laminated ceramics. When the improved SENB (Single edge notched beam method)-indentation-fracture method from Japanese Industrial Standard (No. JIS R 1607-1990) is used to measure fracture toughness of Al2O3/ZrO2 laminated ceramics, the value is more reliable.