Assessment of existing steel structures: recommendations for estimation of remaining fatigue life

The growing importance of sustainability affects new markets for the construction industry; the rehabilitation and refurbishment of existing buildings and civil engineering works is getting more and more into the focus of construction activities. This also applies to bridges as well where the quality management comprising the full life of a bridge has a long tradition. For bridges in particular the enormous increase of freight-volume on roads and rails and the growing age of the bridges cause the question, whether the existing structures are still fit for use and whether or not they can be retrofitted and if so how that could be done.