Abstract
In the present work, three-dimensional finite element method is used to calculate the J integral and the size of plastic zone at the interfacial crack tip of ductile films bonded to a ceramic substrate in mode I. The effects of the specimen thickness and the crack length on the variation of the J integral and the size of the plastic zone at the crack tip were highlighted. The J integral and the plastic zones were computed in the surface and the middle of the film/substrate composite. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.