Various models in the literature can predict the instabilities in film/substrate systems, however only a few of them are based on full standard techniques of computational mechanics. For instance, the use of Fourier spectral method permits fairly low cost computations, but imposes periodic boundary conditions.

In this paper, we present the numerical modeling of film/substrate systems using the finite element method, which allows accounting for various geometries, material properties and boundary conditions. Compliant substrates, because of their thickness are efficiently modeled with 2D/3D finite elements. However, thin shell elements are often more suitable for the film (Fan Xu[1]), but, in the case of short instability wavelength, 2D/3D finite elements are necessary.

It is often needed to simulate many wrinkles and the 2D/3D finite element method leads to large-scale problems. Therefore, it is important to use High Performance Computing capabilities. Much effort has been done to efficiently improve CPU time with MPI programming. Several examples will be presented, as well as the study of the performance of the parallel 2D/3D finite element program.

[1] Fan Xu, “Numerical study of instability pattern of film/substrate systems”, PhD thesis, Université de Lorraine, Dec. 2014.