In PEM fuel cell, gas-diffusion electrode (GDE) plays very significant role in force transmission from bipolar plate to the membrane. This paper investigates the effects of geometrical heterogeneities of gas-diffusion electrode layer (gas-diffusion layer (GDL) and catalyst layer (CL)) on mechanical damage evolution and propagation. We present a structural integrity principle of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) based on the interlayer stress transfer capacity and corresponding cell layer material response. Commonly observable damages such as rupture of hydrophobic coating and breakage of carbon fiber in gas-diffusion layer are attributed to the ductile to brittle phase transition within a single carbon fiber. Effect of material inhomogeneity on change in modulus, hardness, contact stiffness, and electrical contact resistance is also discussed. Fracture statistics of carbon fiber and variations in flexural strength of GDL are studied. The damage propagation in CL is perceived to be influenced by the type of gradation and the vicinity from which crack originates. Cohesive zone model has been proposed based on the traction-separation law to investigate the damage propagation throughout the two interfaces (carbon fiber/CL and CL/membrane). (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.