Book excerpt: This book presents a detailed overview of 20 cases of famous and other highly interesting bridge collapses over the last two centuries. Every case is illustrated and described in detail and the failure analyses made are supported by well-known explanations and, in some cases, by new theories. The chronological order makes it easy to follow the gradual development in the use of different bridge types and the choice of construction material. This analysis of the complex phenomena of fatigue and buckling is a critical area for consulting engineers and for advanced-level and postgraduate students in structural and bridge engineering.