An　innovative　critical　plane　determination　approach　with　weight-averaged　largest　fatigue　damage　is　proposed,　in　which　the　material　failure　modes　can　be　considered.　If　material　exhibits　shear　cracking　behavior,　a　strain-based　critical　plane　model　with　shear　failure　mode　is　selected　to　evaluate　the　weight　function.　Otherwise,　other　one　with　tensile　failure　mode　is　adopted.　According　to　the　proposed　critical　plane,　a　multiaxial　fatigue　lifetime　estimation　methodology　is　established　for　evaluating　fatigue　life.　And,　six　kinds　of　materials　are　employed　to　validate　the　validity　of　presented　methodology.　The　validation　results　reveal　the　presented　methodology　can　estimate　the　orientation　angles　of　failure　plane　accurately　and　supply　satisfactory　fatigue　lifetime　estimations　for　both　shear　and　tensile　failure　mode　materials.　Furthermore,　the　proposed　critical　plane　framework　can　be　extended　to　be　utilized　with　stress-based　fatigue　criteria,　and　prediction　results　show　a　good　agreement　with　experimental　data　by　another　two　materials.　©　2023　The　Author(s)