[en] Given the stringent requirements of high levels of safety in nuclear components, stakeholders of the French nuclear industry must anticipate the presence of residual surface imperfections in these components. Such imperfections could be introduced during manufacturing or maintenance operations. The incidence of surface irregularities on the fatigue strength of metallic components has to be considered. Meanwhile, nuclear components can be loaded under low-cycle fatigue and large-scale plasticity conditions. The first objective of this work is then to assess to what extent the fatigue life of typical nuclear materials may be affected by the presence of such surface irregularities. In parallel, this study aims at describing, qualitatively and quantitatively, the crack initiation and propagation from these imperfections. In order to meet these objectives, a uniaxial fatigue test campaign, conducted under fully-reversed total axial strain control, in the air at room temperature, has been carried out on the cylindrical specimens (Φ 9 mm). Surface imperfections were artificially introduced onto the specimens. The electric potential tracking method has been mainly used to monitor the crack initiation, micro and macro propagation phases from surface imperfections. Additional experimental and numerical actions have been carried out to calibrate the potential monitoring. The results of the test campaign demonstrate a significant influence of the presence of imperfections on the 9 mm specimens fatigue strength. The use of electrical method has allowed to determine crack initiation and growth rates from surface imperfections. The identification of a representative parameter of the propagation driving force, in the context of generalized plasticity associated with the tests carried out, has also allowed to analyse data relating to propagation kinetics in a predictive perspective. (author)