In this study, when variable-amplitude load with various applying mode acts on the pre-crack tip, we examined how fatigue cracks behave. Hence aspects of the deformation caused by changing the applying mode of single overload and propagation behavior of fatigue crack were experimentally examined: What kinds of the deformation would be formed at pre-crack and its tip? What aspects of the residual plastic deformation field would be formed in front of a crack? How aspects of the plastic zone could be evaluated? As applying mode of single overloading changes, the deformation caused by tensile and shear loading variously showed in each applying mode. The different aspects of deformation make influence on propagation behavior of cracks under constant-amplitude fatigue loading after overloading with various modes. We tried to examine the relationship between aspects of deformation and fatigue behavior by comparing the observed deformation at crack and crack propagation behavior obtained from fatigue tests.
