In hot strip rolling the temperature range is 800-1000 qC where an oxide scale layer is formed on the steel surface. In this paper, the authors consider a model of surface roughness based on Gaussian distribution function, where a rough surface profile or surface section profile with specified roughness parameters can be generated easily and analysed. The effect of roughness parameters on the change of surface roughness is also considered. The aim of this study is to determine the surface roughness and the asperity deformation at the scale-steel interface and the final roughness profile of the rolled strip after the hot finishing mill. Based on the MSC-MARC package, a finite element method (FEM) model is used to simulate the hot strip rolling asperity deformation and surface roughness transfer of the oxide scale and the steel surface roughness. The generated profile of surface roughness is verified by the scanned surface profile of the oxidized hot strip.