Zero-Point in the evaluation of Martens Hardness uncertainty

The instrumented Indentation Test is based on simultaneous recording of force and indentation depth, obtained during test cycle. The force-depth curve, describing the indentation pattern, is typically formed by two parts having the "zero-point" in common, i.e. the first contact point between the indenter and the surface of test piece. The zero-point determination is a crucial aspect for Martens Hardness evaluation, so that relevant ISO standard suggests to estimate it by extrapolation of polynomial fitted functions. In this paper a new model, based on a segmented function, is proposed. This approach implies the use of maximum likelihood estimator for parameters determination. The corresponding uncertainty is provided through the covariance matrix of the regression model.