A large percentage of the industrial equipment failures is due the formation and development of cracks in structural components (parts), operating under variable loads. This phenomenon is known as fatigue of material. Predicting the fatigue life is a complex task, starting from the design of the part, the choosing of a material and the manufacturing technology.

In the last 20 years, as a result of the development of the test equipment and the introduction of ultrasonic resonance techniques, the experimental studies in the area over 10⁸ to 10¹⁰ cycles, have been extensively conducted. This area is called "very high cycle fatigue VHCF or gigacycle fatigue".

             The relevance of the scientific issues, addressed in the draft proposal, can be judged by the fact that with a life expectancy in the area of the gigacyclic fatigue are mainly components of high-speed rotors and internal combustion engines, used in aircraft, space industry, high-speed trains, power plants, offshore platforms, ships, etc. The accurate prediction of the fatigue life leads to reduced repair costs and prevention of potential high-risk emergencies.

               Since in most cases the formation of a crack starts from the surface, in order to improve fatigue strength and durability, tribological behavior, as well as corrosion resistance of structural components, it is necessary to modify the set of topographic, mechanical, chemical and metallurgical properties of, their surface layers.

                  Considering the influence of numerous factors in gigacyclic fatigue and their significance, it is difficult to develop a general model to explain the gigacyclic fatigue for all steels or metals, or even for a narrower area, such as high-strength steels. Therefore, the best way to understand the fatigue behavior in gigacyclic fatigue mode is by experiment. By metallography and fractography analysis changes at microstructural level can be observed, individually for various materials. The availability of many experimental results is the key to improving the new materials and designing structural components for future applications.

                   That is why, this proposal provides for experimental studies of fatigue, which, through their widespread use, will enrich the global database on fatigue behavior of materials. Based on the experimental results obtained to analyze and verify the existing models and to look for correlations through which to summarize the experimental results for a wider class of materials.

Тhe accumulated experience, the updated laboratory base and the mastered methods for testing fatigue in the gigacycle area will provide an opportunity to activate the existing and implement new partnerships with foreign universities for joint research and projects.