AbstractSome ceramics-coated metals are nominated as first-wall material. TiC-coated type 316 stainless steel is expected to be superior to other materials in high-temperature strength and in its endurance properties at heavy irradiation. Delamination between ceramics layer and base-metal is considered to be one of the most important problems when such ceramics-coated metals are used in a temperature field with a gradient such as that of the first wall. In this report, the high-temperature strength of TiC-coated type 316 stainless steel, which should be that of the first wall of the fusion reactor, is investigated experimentally and computationally. A simple and precise thermal-stress testing system is developed. The effects of surface roughness as well as of the thermal stress and the residual stress on the bonding strength are investigated. The experimental and numerical results on the residual-stress distribution are compared with each other to confirm the reliability of the inelastic analysis using the finite-element method (FEM). It is expected that a suitable surface roughness makes the residual stress in the coated film small. The optimum range for the TiC-coating temperature is found using inelastic FEM analysis at the heating conditions used in the experiments.