It　is　known　that　Ni-based　superalloys　experience　microstructural　rafting　during　high　temperature　straining.　This　paper　presents　a　comparative　study　of　the　different　rafting　models　by　means　of　finite　element　modeling　and　experimentation　investigation.　It　was　found　that　uniaxial　elastic　loading　does　not　alter　the　misfit　or　misfit　isotropy　of　the　structure,　but　causes　repartitioning　of　the　misfit　into　elastic　strains　in　the　gamma　and　gamma＇　phases.　This　causes　an　elastic　strain　energy　anisotropy　and　hydrostatic　stress　anisotropy　among　the　vertical　and　horizontal　gamma　phase　channels.　Both　anisotropies　predict　a　raft　structure　that　is　contrary　to　the　experimental　observation.　Through　a　carefully　designed　pre-treatment　at　750　degrees　C　and　under　a　uniaxial　stress　of　750　MPa,　an　anisotropic　dislocation　structure　was　created　on　the　{0011　gamma＇/gamma　interfaces　without　altering　the　cuboidal　morphology　of　the　gamma＇　phase.　This　allows　the　evaluation　of　the　influence　of　dislocations　on　the　rafting　behavior　of　the　alloy.　It　was　found　that　rafting　occurred　in　the　pre-treated　samples　containing　anisotropic　dislocation　structures　during　thermal　expo　sure　without　applied　stress,　instead　of　isotropic　corsening,　and　that　the　raft　structures　conform　to　the　expectations　base　don　the　anistropic　dislocation　strucutres.　This　demonstrates　that　an　anisotropic　dislocation　structure　on　the　{0011　gamma＇/gamma　interfaces　is　a　direct　cause　of　rafting.　This　is　attributted　to　the　fact　that　dislocations　on　gamma＇/gamma　interfaces　help　to　relax　the　local　misfit　strains,　causing　some　to　expand　at　the　expense　of　others.　At　the　same　time,　the　formation　of　the　anisotropic　dislocation　structure　is　a　direct　result　of　the　anisotropy　of　elastic　strains　induced　by　the　applied　bia　stess　in　during　the　pre-treatment.　These　explain　the　complex　interplay　of　the　elastic　and　plastic　models　reported　the　literature.