A methodology to develop experimental methods to measure cohesive laws is introduced. This methodology is based on the property of all configurational forces equilibrium acting on a specimen to be in equilibrium. Two applications are given. The first shows a method to measure the cohesive law for shear representing the mechanical behaviour of an adhesive layer. The second application is a method to measure the cohesive law for the formation of a kink-band in a unidirectional composite. It is concluded that the methodology is critically dependent on the ability to associate a pseudopotential to the inelastic properties of the deforming material where the fracture process takes place. The importance to clearly identify the material that is modelled with the cohesive zone is also stressed.