Abstract
Iron single crystals fatigued in torsion have shown asymmetric deformation. As the crystal samples are cycled in net zero strain, material is carried in only one circumferential direction over given sectors of the cylindrical sample surfaces. This effect is believed to be related to the asymmetry of slip on {112} and possibly {123} planes in body‐centered‐cubic (bcc) metals. Asymmetric deformation may be an important factor in fatigue of bcc metals because it results in much higher deformation per cycle than comparable cyclic loading in face‐centered‐cubic (fcc) metals.