In-Plane Cracking Behavior Near and Away from Interface of Thermal Barrier Coatings and Thermally Grown Oxides

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe initiation characteristics of in-plane cracks near and away from the interface of thermal barrier coatings (TBC) and thermally grown oxides (TGO) have been studied using a protruded four-point bend testing technique together with a finite element analysis. In-plane TBC cracks were initiated near and away from the TBC/TGO interface, respectively, in protruded specimens without and with grooved substrates. It was shown that the onset of in-plane TBC cracks near or away from the interface in the protruded TBC tests was controlled by the out-of-plane tensile stress but not by the principal tensile stress acting upon an inclined plane to the interface. The critical local tensile stress for the initiation of TBC cracks near the interface was found to be 20% lower than that away from the interface. The TBC cracking near and away from the TBC/TGO interface is discussed in light of the residual stress distribution through the TBC thickness.