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An experimental protocol based on the coupling of kinematic field measurements on the surface and in volume at the microstructure scale has been set up in order to study the influence of the casting microstructure upon the initiation and propagation of cracks in low cycle fatigue. Preliminary applications of this protocol on tensile tests were successful as it allowed tracking the development and localization of plastic deformation and identifying the initiation sites of microcracks during tests in relation with the observed surface and volume microstructures. Application of the proposed protocol to low cycle fatigue is an on-going work.