Non-Destructive Detection of Hertzian Contact Damage in Ceramics

An ultrasonic technique using normal-incident compressional waves was used to evaluate the surface and subsurface damage in ceramics produced by Hertzian indentation. Damage was produced by a blunt indenter (tungsten carbide ball) in glass-ceramic, green glass and silicon nitride. The damage was classified into two types; (1) Hertzian cone crack, in green glass and fine grain silicon nitride, and (2) distributed subsurface micro fractures, without surface damage, produced in glass ceramic. The ultrasonic technique was successful in detecting cone craks. The measurement results with the Hertzian cone cracks indicated that cracks perpendicular to the surface could be detected by the normal-incident compressional waws. Also shown is the capability of normal-incident compressional waves in detection distributed micro-sized cracks size of subsurface microfractures.