Analysis of energy release rate and bending-to-stretching behavior in the shaft-loaded blister test

We present a theoretical study of shaft-loaded blister test for the determination of the adhesion strength of thin polymer films and coatings to rigid substrates. The relationships among strain energy release rate, load, deflection and residual stress are fully investigated. A series of numerical results of finite element analysis allow us to verify the theory quantitatively and thus estimate the validity region of our solution, which ought to have significant implications in many technological situations.