A procedure for modeling effects of surface stress relaxation in specimens processed from materials with residual strains was described at first, then the anisotropic finite element analysis was performed to study characteristics of strain relaxation in the cross-sectional specimens of strained-layer materials. By using the "element death" technique, the finite element model of the specimen was separated from the finite element model of the bulk material, and a free surface was created. As a result, effects of surface stress relaxation during processing specimens were conveniently modeled. The finite element results about strain relaxation in the cross-sectional specimens of GexSi1-x/Si superlattice were presented. Characteristics about the shear strain near the interface, the strain normal to the surface, and the strain normal to the interface were studied.