A methodology for describing nano-indentation by means of discrete dislocations was presented. A collocation method was used to calculate the contact stresses arising at each indentation step, which permitted the use of an arbitrary indenter shape. Distributed dislocation sources were allowed to emit dislocations on predefined slip planes, when the critical value of the local shear stress for emission was attained. After each indentation step, the newly-emitted dislocations were brought to their equilibrium positions under the influence of stresses induced by the contact stresses and the dislocations. The plastic behaviors of 2 materials having differing densities of dislocation sources were studied in detail.

Discrete Dislocation Simulation of Nanoindentation. H.G.M.Kreuzer, R.Pippan: Computational Mechanics, 2004, 33[4], 292-8