Spherical indentation model for evaluating the elastic properties of the shell of microsphere with core-shell structure

•A spherical indentation model was constructed via minimum total potential principle.•A deformed pattern was established for spherical indentation of a microcapsule.•The proposed model avoids complicated analysis of contact load distribution.•The proposed model has good accuracy in evaluating the elastic modulus of shell.•The proposed model can predict indentation behavior of microcapsule via FE analysis.