In this work 3D strain and damage analyses are performed in the immediate vicinity of the notch root of a at CT-like specimen made of aluminum alloy. Experimental data, partially exploited by Morgeneyer et al (2014b), were obtained by using synchrotron laminography and the 3D reconstructed volumes are subsequently analyzed via Digital Volume Correlation. These data enable for in situ assessments of strain elds and ductile damage in the zone where the stress triaxiality evolves from elevated to lower levels, which is accompanied by at-to-slant crack transition. The measured strain eld patterns in this area are analyzed herein in a systematic manner by studying the incremental strain activity during several loading steps. It is shown that from the very beginning of the loading history multiple slant strained bands appear in front of the notch root while the corresponding damage growth sets in at later loading stages and higher strains. The activity of the dierent strained bands at the notch root is alternating between dierent locations over the loading history. However, the band leading to nal rupture is always active. The region where slant fracture occurs is identied to be in plane strain condition with respect to the crack propagation direction.