The thermal shock experiment is important measure to evaluate the themal shock resis-lhcrmal shock I-csis-trance of ceramic/metal gradient thermal barrier coatings Two substrate materials and four coatingschemes were adopted to make the specimens. Before and after the thermal shock experiments, themicrostructure of specimcens was obsecrvcd. The heat transfer and the associated thermal: stresses prodtuceedin the thermal. shock procedure were simulated by finitc clement softwarc ANSYS. The simulation resultshowcd that the gradient coating scheme is much hetter than layered coating schemes andd (2Crl 3 is moresuitable than ICr18Ni9ti is substrate material. The experiment, rosults demonstrated that the largethermal shock stresses; and the large thermal stress gradient are the main reaons of erack initiation and propagation The finite elemetn.simulation agree with the theormal shock experiment results.