Abstract: The relationships between fatigue threshold △Kth and the initial yield .strength σ0 of normalized 1035 steel after various prestrain (at fist, second and third hardening stages respectively) were investigated through the analysis of theσ-εcurves and transmission electron microscope (TEM). After prestraining at first or second hardening stage, there is a marked drop in the values of △Kth and σ0. This is in correspondence with the depinning of the solute atoms from the dislocation lines in the Cottrell atmosphere.At the third hardening stage of prestrain the fatigue threshold increases rapidly and △Kth is even 1.6 times as large as the original value. This is because at this stage no dislocation-cell free areas can be found and the refinement of the dislocation cells occurs with the increase in the prestrain level.

Key words: deformation hardening, fatigue threshold, initial yield strength, dislocation array, 1035 steel