Multiscale modelling of nanoindentation

Abstract

Abstract The process of nanoindentation causes physical phenomena not only at the nano-scale, but at multiple length scales up to the macroscopic. We present a model that links atomistic scale molecular dynamics to a finite element model in order to extend the length scales that can be modelled. We illustrate how this has been used in some studies of nanoindentation, to test the coupled model, and secondly to compare the results to atomistic only models. These studies show that by extending the length scales, the results from the model are in closer agreement with the experiment.