Measuring properties of a test of a sample of material using depth-sensing indentation

摘要

There is provided apparatus for use in determining a property of a test by a depth-sensing indentation system of a sample of material. It comprises a memory, which stores data representative of points on a load-displacement curve for a test on a sample by the indentation system. The data includes a loading curve representing applied indentation load versus displacement of the probe of the indentation system. The apparatus further comprises a test property determination module configured to determine, based on this data and a roughness depth limit, one or more properties of the test. The roughness depth limit is representative of a displacement along an initial portion of a loading curve for the sample, and is taken to be the displacement at which the indenter displacement ceases to increase substantially linearly with increasing load, as the surface roughness of the sample ceases to have an effect on the loading curve.