Plastic yield inception of an indented coated flat and comparison with a flattened coated sphere

► A dimensionless coating parameter was identified to control the critical contact parameters of the indented coated system. ► Empirical expressions for the dimensionless critical contact parameters were obtained. ► Three typical different locations of the yield inception of the coated substrate were observed. ► Yield inception of an indented coated flat is very similar to that of a flattened coated sphere.