As an engineering structural material with ultra-light weight

high specific strength and good heat resistance

rare-earth containing magnesium alloys（Mg-RE alloys）have been acknowledged as one of the most promising candidate for aircraft

aerospace and railway transportation applications. The alternating load in actual service puts forward a strict requirement on the fatigue performance of Mg-RE alloys. In order to ensure the durability and safety of load-bearing structural parts

it is of great significance to understand their fatigue behavior and fracture failure mechanism in depth. The research progress in the fatigue properties of Mg-RE alloys was expounded

focusing on the microscopic mechanism of fatigue crack initiation and propagation. After that

the heat treatment

grain refinement

surface strengthening and many other ways were described to improve the fatigue properties of Mg-RE alloys. Finally

essential futuristic works devoted to the research of fatigue behavior were prospected.