Surface-related phenomena in low amplitude fatigue of fcc metals

Abstract Perusal of the literature on fundamental aspects of the influence of the surface on fatigue in face centred cubic (fcc) metals shows that although understanding has moved forward, progress was hampered by such obstacles as lengthy semantic arguments, apparently conflicting observations, and certain aspects of the fatigue process itself. Most of the recent fundamental work has been carried out on single crystals, usually copper, fatigued in the low amplitude region; it is assumed that readers are familiar with this system. The following represents an outline of some of the authors' views on the role of the surface in fatigue; a wider account of their views on fatigue in fcc metals appears in a recent review article [1].