This book deals with the mechanics of solid bodies in contact, a subject intimately connected with such topics as fracture, hardness, and elasticity. Coverage begins with an introduction to the mechanical properties of materials, general fracture mechanics, and the fracture of brittle solids. It then provides a detailed description of indentation stress fields for both elastic and elastic-plastic contact. In addition, the book discusses the formation of Hertzian cone cracks in brittle materials, subsurface damage in ductile materials, and the meaning of hardness. Coverage concludes with an overview of practical methods of indentation testing.