Gamma titanium aluminide based alloys have emerged as important candidates for high
temperature structural applications in the aircraft industry to replace current nickel-based superalloys as the
material of choice for low-pressure turbine blades. This is primarily due to their low density, high specific
stiffness, elevated-temperature strength retention, and relatively good environmental resistance. Although such
materials appear very promising for the turbine engine industry, optimize the performances requires more
advanced approaches to accurately predict fatigue life. Therefore, there is a need to understand and address the
specific crack growth properties of these materials to assure adequate reliability of these alloys in structural
applications. The long crack growth rate properties of a Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb alloy obtained by electron beam
melting (EBM) with a patented process has been examined carrying out CPCA (Compression Pre-cracking
Constant Amplitude) tests performed at different loading ratios and in-service temperatures.