Analysis of Cracks in Thermal Barrier Coatings Based on Extended Finite Element Method and Cohesive Zone Model

WANG Min; YANG Jingyi; ZHAO Weiwen; WANG Hanyu; WANG Zhaochun; YUAN Jianhui

doi:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.09.014

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Surface Technology ›› 2026, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (9) : 181-190. DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.09.014

Surface and Interface Strengthening Technology

Analysis of Cracks in Thermal Barrier Coatings Based on Extended Finite Element Method and Cohesive Zone Model

WANG Min^1,*, YANG Jingyi¹, ZHAO Weiwen¹, WANG Hanyu², WANG Zhaochun², YUAN Jianhui²

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Abstract

This study aims to investigate the crack initiation sites and propagation lengths on the surface of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) with different interface morphologies during the cooling process, as well as the initiation locations of interfacial cracks, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the cracking failure of TBCs.
A finite element model of the TBC is established using Abaqus, wherein the interfaces of YSZ/TGO and BC/TGO are modeled as four sinusoidal continuous curves with wavelengths and peak-valley values being 60 µm/15 µm, 30 µm/15 µm, and 30 µm/7.5 µm and 60 µm/7.5 µm sequentially. The extended finite element method (XFEM) is employed to calculate the STATUSXFEM variation on the surfaces of YSZ and TGO during cooling, based on which the propagation trend of surface cracks is determined. A combined approach of XFEM and the cohesive zone model (CZM) is used to obtain crack growth on the surfaces of YSZ and TGO, as well as at the YSZ/TGO and BC/TGO interfaces. The CSDMG values are utilized to identify the cracking locations at the interfaces.
XFEM simulations without initial cracks show that cracking is more likely to occur in the sinusoidal segment with a wavelength/peak-valley values of 30 µm/15 µm. Cracks on the TGO surface appear near the peak region close to the BC layer, while cracks on the YSZ surface emerge near the TGO layer, around the zero point transitioning from the sinusoidal segment of 30 µm/15 µm to 30 µm/7.5 µm. The longest vertically upward propagating crack reaches 29.8 µm. When an initial crack is present on the YSZ surface, a rapid vertically downward penetrating crack forms at the valley of the second sinusoidal segment on the TGO surface. Additionally, a crack extending upward appears at the tip of the predefined crack on the YSZ surface, with the total length of the longest crack reaching 24.9 µm.
Combined XFEM and CZM simulations without initial cracks reveal that after cooling, the maximum CSDMG value of 0.93 occurs near the valley of the second sinusoidal segment at the BC/TGO interface. At the YSZ/TGO interface, the maximum CSDMG value (0.98) is observed near the zero point transitioning from the peak to the valley of the second sinusoidal segment, indicating that the interface is about to fully crack. From this location, a vertically upward propagating crack develops on the YSZ surface, reaching a length of 50.6 µm. When an initial crack is present on the YSZ surface, as cooling progresses, the crack extends vertically from the tip of the initial crack, with the total length of the longest crack reaching 35.3 µm. In contrast, cracks in the TGO exhibit minimal propagation. The CSDMG value at the BC/TGO interface is 0.92, while the maximum CSDMG value at the YSZ/TGO interface decreases to 0.81 and appears closer to the peak of the second sinusoidal segment.
The results indicate that interface morphologies with short wavelengths and large peak-valley values are more prone to inducing surface and interfacial cracks. The combined XFEM and CZM simulation approach can better evaluate the interfacial cracking tendency. The presence of initial cracks suppresses crack propagation within the YSZ and at the YSZ/TGO and BC/TGO interfaces.

Key words

thermal barrier coatings / XFEM / CZM / interface morphologies / surface cracks / interfacial cracks

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WANG Min, YANG Jingyi, ZHAO Weiwen, WANG Hanyu, WANG Zhaochun, YUAN Jianhui. Analysis of Cracks in Thermal Barrier Coatings Based on Extended Finite Element Method and Cohesive Zone Model[J]. Surface Technology. 2026, 55(9): 181-190

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Funding

Supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2021M691341); Shanghai Technical Institute of Electronics & Information Research Foundation (E1-002-25-0501-C-13)