Thermal fatigue tests are carried out to the notch specimens made of particle-reinforced composites entitled SiCp/A356 between 20°C and 300°C. The thermal elastic-plastic finite element method is used to simulate the stress and strain response at the notch root of the thermal fatigue test specimen, and thus the formation mechanism of residual stress is revealed. Then according to the finite element simulation of the stress-strain, the thermal fatigue strain life curves of SiCp/A356 material are given considering the residual stress. This can give the basis for the thermal fatigue properties study of the particle reinforced composite SiCp/A356 used in high-speed train brake disc.