2524 alloy plates with grain sizes (0.8–300 μm) were prepared by conventional cold rolling and heat treatment.
Crack-growth rate was studied as function of grain size by fatigue and microstructure evaluation.
Grain refinement led to a decrease in the resistance against fatigue-crack growth in 2524 alloy.
The crack closure levels in coarse-grain samples were higher than those in fine-grain ones at low ΔK.