Finite dement formulations are used to simulate the evolution of the elastoplastic response of functionally graded cemented carbides （FGCC） due to thermal loading. The geometry of specimens is an axisymmetric solid cylinder with a two-dimensional gradient. The elastoplastic constitutive relationship is developed by constraint factors. Numerical results show that compressive stresses occur in the surface zone and tensile stresses in the cobalt rich zone when the temperature drops from the initial stress-free temperature of 800 to 0℃. The maximum value of the surface compressive stress is 254 MPa and the maximum value of the tensile stress is 252 MPa in the cobalt rich zones. When the cobalt concentration difference in the specimens is equal to or greater than 0.3, there is pronounced plastic flow in cobalt rich zone. When the temperature heats up from 0 to 800 ℃, the total plastic strain reaches 0.001 4. Plastic flow has a significant effect on the reduction of thermal stress concentration.
