A parametric study of a pressurized blister test for an elastic–plastic film-rigid substrate system

A finite element simulation of a blister test of an elastic–plastic film, bonded to a substrate and subject to plane strain conditions, is performed. A traction-separation law models the fracture process ahead of the crack tip at the interface between the thin film and the substrate. Only two parameters are significant in describing the traction-separation law: adhesion energy, Γ 0 and interface strength, σ ˆ . The dependences of the pressure, P, and the product of the pressure with the central deflection, PH, on the adhesion properties ( Γ 0 and σ ˆ ), the geometry and material properties of the film are studied. The latter quantity (PH) has the same unit as the adhesion energy, Γ 0 , and is “conceptually” appropriate for the analysis. We suggest a method to extract the adhesion energy, Γ 0 and the interface strength, σ ˆ , independently from the total energy dissipated.