Abstract
This paper reviews the practical aspects of extracting quantitative microstructural data from microstructures of fatigued metals and alloys. In addition to the basic stereological information needed to characterize the essential geometrical elements of the structure, special methods are developed and described for quantifying more subtle effects. Thus, elongated structures, lamellar systems, gradients, and locational characteristics of particles are considered with respect to the fatigue process and its interactions with the microstructural features.