Indentation as a probe for pressure sensitivity of metallic glasses.

International audienceThe question of hydrostatic pressure or normal stress dependence of the flow and fracture behaviour of bulk metallic glasses is addressed. Data from several types of mechanical tests indicate that flow is hardly sensitive to pressures or normal stresses, while fracture is normal stress sensitive and not pressure dependent. Besides, instrumented indentation adequately probes a low pressure dependence of flow, while a normal stress dependence is hardly noticeable