To investigate the effects of change in loading amplitude on surface topography, two-step loaded low-cycle fatigue tests of SUS316NG austenitic stainless steel were conducted. During the tests, the specimen's surface topography was regularly measured using a laser scanning microscope. The surface topographies obtained were analyzed by frequency analysis to separate the surface relief due to persistent slip bands from that due to crystal grain deformation. The persistent-slip-bands-induced surface relief evolution and the grain-deformation-induced one were quantitatively evaluated by using arithmetic mean roughness R_a and arithmetic mean waviness W_a, respectively. As a result, the rates of increase in R_a and W_a changed obviously after changing loading amplitude. The results for R_a and W_a agree with the results of surface observation, the increases in the numbers of slip bands and deformed crystal grains changed after changing loading amplitude.
