• Composites Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2010

This study analyzes the apparent fracture toughness of a thick-walled cylinder with a functionally graded material (FGM) coating at the inner surface of the cylinder. The cylinder is assumed to have a single radial edge crack emanating from its inner surface. The crack surfaces and the inner surface of the cylinder are subjected to an internal pressure. The incompatible eigenstrain developed in the cylinder due to nonuniform coefficient of thermal expansion as a result of cooling from sintering temperature is taken into account. Based on a method of evaluating stress intensity factor introduced in our previous study, an approach is developed to calculate apparent fracture toughness. The approach is demonstrated for a cylinder with a TiC/$Al_{2}O_{3}$ FGM coating and some numerical results of apparent fracture toughness are presented graphically. The effects of material distribution profile, cylinder wall thickness, application temperature, and coating thickness on the apparent fracture toughness are investigated in details. It is found that all of these factors play an important role in controlling the apparent fracture toughness of the cylinder.