ISO 15850:2014 specifies a method for measuring the propagation of a crack in a notched specimen subjected to a cyclic tensile load varying between a constant positive minimum and a constant positive maximum value. The test results include the crack length as a function of the number of load cycles and the crack length increase rate as a function of the stress intensity factor and energy release rate at the crack tip. The possible occurrence of discontinuities in crack propagation is detected and reported.

The test can be also used for the purpose of determining the resistance to crack propagation failure. In this case, the results can be presented in the form of number of cycles to failure or total time taken to cause crack propagation failure versus the stress intensity factor.