Pattern of the B₄C ceramics surface deformation at local loading

Formation of cracks in the lateral indentation of brittle ceramic materials is described in several researches [1, 2]. Occurrence of such cracks and the associated side small cracks formed at the surface of the sample in the form of "petals" was observed and analyzed in this research on the samples of boron carbide ceramics and monocrystalline silicon. The experimental results for the determination of the sequence, the direction and nature of crack propagation, the size and shape of areas of spall fracture surface formed at indentation of monocrystalline silicon and polycrystalline boron carbide samples by scanning electron microscopy are presented. A comparison of the experimental results with the modeling results of indentation zone deformation, as well as analytical evaluation of the shapes and the maximum size of the spall fracture zones have been carried out, which showed good coincidence.