  The objective of this work is to study the role of shear on the rupture of
ultrathin polymer films. To do so, a finite-difference numerical scheme for the
resolution of the thin film equation was set up taking into account capillary
and van der Waals (vdW) forces. This method was validated by comparing the
dynamics obtained from an initial harmonic perturbation to established
theoretical predictions. With the addition of shear, three regimes have then
been evidenced as a function of the shear rate. In the case of low shear rates
the rupture is delayed when compared to the no-shear problem, while at higher
shear rates it is even suppressed: the perturbed interface goes back to its
unperturbed state over time. In between these two limiting regimes, a transient
one in which shear and vdW forces balance each other, leading to a
non-monotonic temporal evolution of the perturbed interface, has been
identified. While a linear analysis is sufficient to describe the rupture time
in the absence of shear, the nonlinearities appear to be essential otherwise.
