Fatigue-cyclic behaviour

Characteristic features of the cyclic straining and damage evolution in fatigue are reviewed. The basic principles allowing to describe the hysteresis loop and cyclic hardening/softening and its relation to internal structure evolution are shown. The role of cyclic strain localisation in the formation of the surface relief and its effect on the cyclic stress-strain response and modification of the local internal structure is described. The crack nucleation is documented and models of crack nucleation are reviewed. The kinetics of short crack growth is recorded and the importance of the period of short crack growth for fatigue life prediction is emphasised.