In the course of an extended study of the cyclic load response of several gas turbine alloys, a very interesting phenomenon was observed in some specimens of IMI 829. The response documented shows the emergence of loosely-bound sections of material into the notch root of test specimens. The authors have not seen this effect reported by other investigators. The experimental apparatus consists of a scanning electron microscope coupled with a load frame to view the real-time surface response of cyclically loaded specimens. For reference, the specimen geometry is shown, the cross section (A-A) is rectangular, measuring approximately 1mm X 4mm. Normal preparation is to notch one side of the specimen using a jeweller's saw and metallurgically polish and etch one of the flat surfaces for observation. IMI 829 (Ti-5.5Al-3.5Sn-3.0Zr-0.25Mo-1Nb-0.3Si) is a near-alpha titanium alloy, examined here in the beta-annealed condition which displays plate-like alpha colonies with some primary alpha on the prior beta grain boundaries. It can also manifest a Widmanstaetten-type microstructure. Having a nominal grain size of approximately 1mm, the microstructure-specimen size combination allows for an interesting study in pseudo-continua. Although the experiments were predominantly designed to investigate crack-microstructure interactions, the features of interest here were generated within themore » saw-cut notch root of the specimen. In the process of nucleating a crack in the notch root, three of six specimens developed discontinuities which were not perpendicular to either the loading axis or the observed specimen surface. In two of these three cases, while the crack was progressing across the ligament and downward through the specimen, some sections broke away.« less