ABSTRACT
After reaching and exceeding the ‘standard service life’, fatigue-loaded structures often cannot be reliably assessed with regard to possible residual life. One reason for this is insufficient knowledge about the behaviour of the static and fatigue strength of steels (wrought iron, puddled steel) and the structures used in the 19th century. The oldest railway bridge, the Koblenz/ Waldshut between the Federal Republic of Germany and Switzerland, which is in the charge of the Versuchsanstalt für Stahl, Holz und Steine, dates from 1858 and is still in operation today. This bridge is shown in Figs 1 and 2.
