A growing fatigue crack, under a constant-amplitude load, was described in terms of dislocation mechanics. It was shown that the dislocations were arranged in slip-bands that were separated by large dislocation-free regions. The accumulation of dislocations in the wake of the crack produced compressive stresses near to the crack tip. During loading, the closure stress intensity increased and crack growth decreased, until steady-state conditions were attained.

Investigation of a Growing Fatigue Crack by Means of a Discrete Dislocation Model. F.O.Riemelmoser, R.Pippan: Materials Science and Engineering A, 1997, 234-236, 135-7