Diagnostic inverse structural analyses based on indentation curves alone and novel indenter geometries

Non-destructive indentation tests are experiments with origin in hardness testing and at present of growing multiplicity of applications. The developments presented here (and at present research subjects in our team) are characterized by the following features: experimental data extracted only from indentation curves; novel indenter geometries optimized by sensitivity analyses; parameter identifications by a deterministic approach and by preliminary model reduction apt to make economical and fast the discrepancy minimization algorithm. The estimates provided by the innovative inverse analysis procedures concern: residual stresses or fracture parameters or parameters in anisotropic plasticity models.