A Plastic Boundary Layer in Wedge Indentation of Aluminum

Abstract

We study plastic flow in the vicinity of an indenter-material interface in wedge indentation of aluminum using high speed in situ imaging and particle image velocimetry (PIV) analysis. Displacement and strain fields in the indentation zone are obtained at high-resolution for different indenter angles and two lubrication conditions. These fields can be used to demarcate essential features of the material flow phenomena. The deformed layers close to the indenter wall fit a classical boundary layer profile in the framework of a Bingham-solid. Equivalent Bingham viscosities and boundary layer scaling relations are obtained. The viscosity values appear to reflect the nature of the friction interaction at the indenter-material interface and can potentially be used as a discriminating parameter for evaluating contributions to deformation and dissipation arising from interface friction.