Small-Scale Mechanical Testing

This article reviews recent developments in small-scalemechanical property testing with some emphasis on intermediate (meso) length scales in complex microstructures and coated systems. The introduction summarizes size effects discovered from a century ago up to the recent explosion in micropillar testing that established many length scale effects in yielding and fracture. The bulk of the article deals with plasticity and fracture in polyphasic and microstructurally graded systems, including biomaterials, composites, and thermal protection systems, highlighting the use of in situ methods where mechanical tests are coupled to synchrotron X-ray scattering, electron backscattering, radiation damage, and digital image correlation.

Automated summary

This article reviews recent developments in small-scale mechanical property testing, focusing on intermediate length scales in complex microstructures and coated systems. Size effects, yielding, and fracture are summarized from a century ago up to micropillar testing. The article highlights the use of in situ methods, such as synchrotron X-ray scattering and digital image correlation, in studying plasticity and fracture in polyphasic and microstructurally graded systems.