Aluminum thin films grown on silicon by free evaporation were studied by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy techniques. The behavior of the films during current flowing, the induced changes by large periods of current applied, as well as the temporal evolution of the deformation due to thermal expansion because of the Joule effect, were studied. We explain the degradation of the films by a combined action of thermal effects and mechanical stress between film and substrate. The results could conduce to a new method to measure some thermal properties on metallic thin films.