AbstractThe effects of a single tensile overload and precycling load in air on subsequent corrosion fatigue cracking in 70/30 brass exposed to 1 M sodium nitrite solution were studied. A single tensile overload caused a decrease in subsequent corrosion fatigue crack propagation rate. Precycling load also showed retardation effects, depending on the load conditions for precycling and corrosion fatigue. A transsition from a higher mean stress for precycling to a lower mean stress for corrosion fatigue decreased corrosion fatigue crack growth rate, while an opposite transition did not appreciably change the corrosion fatigue crack propagations. The responses of bulk mechanical properties to a presingle overload and precycling load in air were measured, showing hardening which may probably be responsible for the observed retardation.