Abstract: The symmetrical push-pull fatigue tests in load control were carried out for prestrained polycrystalline Cu.The change in mechanical behaviour during cycling was recorded in detail and the effect of various degree of prestraining on saturated behavior and dislocation structure was compared.The results show that the cyclic saturation state is still history-dependent at low stress amplitude and the dislocation structure after fatigue exhibits an “inheritance” be- havior.The level of softening was calculated at various load amplitudes and a softening threshold of about 0.43 to 0.45 of the flow stress was obtained.This is the same as that of low carbon steel.Three stages of cyclic processes and their mechanism have been described.

Key words: polycrystalline Cu, fatigue softening, dislocation