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A meso-mechanical finite element model for a thin adhesive layer is developed. The model iscalibrated to experimental results where the adhesive layer is loaded in monotonicallyincreasing peel or shear, cf. Andersson and Stigh [1] and Alfredsson et al. [2], and to an insitu SEM study of the fracture process. The purpose of the meso-mechanical finite elementmodel is to facilitate the development of constitutive laws for adhesive layers.Ideas developed by Needleman [3], where structural continuum elements are bonded bycohesive elements are used as a basis for the finite element mesh. This thus enables microcracks to propagate along the finite element boundaries.The simulations are found to be in good agreement with the experiments. The model is alsocapable of reproducing realistically the deformation observed in both peel [1] and shear [2]experiments.