Analytical models are presented for predicting bond coat properties of ther
mal barrier coatings (TBCs) during crack propagation studies induced by ben
ding. Studies on crack propagation behaviour in TBCs were performed with pl
asma spray coated zirconia, bonded by a MCrAlY layer to Ni-base superalloys
(Inconel 617 and CMSX-4). Such thermal barrier composites are currently co
nsidered as candidate materials for advanced gas turbine stationary compone
nts. Coating as a protective layer improves the surface properties of the s
ubstrate. At a temperature of 1073 K, the crack propagation was found to be
confined to the TBC (ceramic layer), as the ductile bond coat offers an at
tractive sink for stress relaxation. The stress-strain behaviour is a funct
ion of the elastic modulus of coating, bond coat as well as that of substra
te. Thus, from a knowledge of the elastic modulus of TBC and that of substr
ate, the elastic modulus of the bond coat needs to be evaluated which is a
basic parameter for characterizing coating performance. In this paper, the
elastic modulus of the bond coat has been determined by modifying the exist
ing model for a two-layered composite beam to a three-layered composite bea
m.