A　novel　technique　was　developedto　measure　the　adhesion　at　hard　coatings/substrate　interface　by　modifying　the　conventional　rolling　contact　fatigue　method.　The　modification　included　the　small　Al2O3ball　with　high　elastic　modulus　and　the　stress　calculation　in　finite　element　method　(FEM),　based　on　the　elastic-plastic　deformation,　instead　of　in　Hertzian　theory.　Since　the　modifiedtechnique　allows　plastic　deformation　in　the　substrate,　it　significantly　widens　the　shear　stress　range　at　the　interface.　The　interfacial　adhesions　of　hard　coatings　(Mo2N　and　TiN)　and　substrate　of　M2　high-speed　steel　were　evaluated　in　the　conventional　and　new　techniques.　The　measured　results　show　that　the　small　scraps　of　elastic　hard　coatings　could　be　peeled　off　by　delamination　from　the　plastically　deformed　substrate　for　fewer　cycles　of　adhesive　failure,　and　that　the　results　evaluated　in　the　conventional　and　new　techniqueswere　in　good　agreement.　We　suggest　that　the　novel　technique　be　of　much　technological　interest　in　quantitative　interfacial　adhesion　assessment　for　thin　hard　films.　©　2015,　Science　Press.　All　right　reserved.