Ductile damage modeling within the Small Punch Test (SPT) is extensively investigated. The capabilities of the SPT to reliably estimate fracture and damage properties are thoroughly discussed and emphasis is placed on the use of notched specimens. First, different notch profiles are analyzed and constraint conditions quantified. The role of the notch shape is comprehensively examined from both triaxiality and notch fabrication perspectives. Afterwards, a methodology is presented to extract the micromechanical-based ductile damage parameters from the load-displacement curve of notched SPT samples. Furthermore, Gurson-Tvergaard-Needleman model predictions from a top-down approach are employed to gain insight into the mechanisms governing crack initiation and subsequent propagation in small punch experiments. An accurate assessment of micromechanical toughness parameters from the SPT is of tremendous relevance when little material is available.
