Investigation of the failure mechanisms of Zr alloy with Cr2AlC coatings using in-situ bending tests: Experiments and simulations

• Identification of failure mechanisms of Cr 2 AlC-coated zirconium structures by in-situ bending tests. • Determination of fracture properties for coating and substrate materials using different failure criteria. • The crack initiation and propagation behavior during in-situ bending is accurately reproduced by finite element simulations. The failure mechanisms of Cr 2 AlC-coated zirconium samples under different mechanical loading conditions have been investigated by combining in-situ bending tests and finite element simulations. The results of interrupted in-situ bending tests reveal that new critical cracks are mainly initiated in the Cr 2 AlC coating layer, followed by subsequent propagation into the Zr substrate with increasing plastic deformation. The formation of new critical cracks in Cr 2 AlC material is described using the maximum principal stress criterion. A stress state-dependent damage mechanics model combined with an advanced plasticity model is used to capture the ductile fracture behavior of the Zr substrate. Finite element simulations have been performed to identify the failure properties of coating and substrate materials, leading to the accurate reproduction of experimental fracture behavior.