[en] Strong coupling expansions for the string tension and other quantities in lattice gauge theories are computed in arbitrary dimension for the groups Z₃, U(1), SU(2), SU(3). This enables us to determine the location of the roughening transition, which seems to be group independent when measured in an appropriate variable. In four dimensions, the strong coupling expansion of string tension calculated up to fourteenth order for SU(2), and twelfth order for SU(3) agrees nicely with Monte Carlo data up to the roughening point. (orig.)