Abstract
Two coppers, oxygen-free copper (OFC) and deoxidized low-phosphorous copper (DLP), were processed by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) according to the Bc route with 4 and 8 passes. To study the physical background of fatigue strength, formation behavior of surface damage and the change in surface hardness during stressing was monitored. A close relationship was observed between the change in hardness and the formation behavior of surface damage. Fatigue strength of OFC and DLP were discussed based on the formation process of surface damage and growth behavior of a small crack.