The effect of coating thickness on the contact fracture was studied, in Si3N4 coated Si3N4-BN system When the elastic/plastic mismatch is relatively large betwen two layers in bilayer certain critical coating thickness was required to prevent cone crack initiation and this critical thickness was decreased by de-creasing the elastic/plastic mismatch,. In addition the required critical thickness should be increased when higher loads apply. In conclusion an appropriate coating thickness should be designed by elastic/plastic mismatch between two layers and environment (applied load) to prevent the coating fracture,