3. Fatigue testing methods

The principles of fatigue testing are set out in clause 3 of the NF EN 1993-1-9 . This clause proposes two methods for carrying out this verification, depending on the feasibility (from the technical and economic points of view) of fatigue inspections (searching for possible cracks) :

• safe life method, i.e. :

  • if inaccessible for fatigue inspection,

  • when there is no reason to do so;

• damage tolerance method, the prerequisite for which is the development of a fatigue inspection program.