Orthotropic steel decks are likely to experience fatigue issues during their service life, the assessment
of which turns out to be rather complex due to their intricate geometric features and the combined
influence of traffic and temperature on the characteristics of the pertinent load effects, as well as the presence
of various uncertainties. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) can play a role in reducing some of the inherent
uncertainties while assessing fatigue performance using either the S-N or a fracture mechanics approach.
However, it is still necessary to develop the theoretical framework for SHM-based methodologies in order to
use effectively the outcomes provided by SHM systems, thus avoiding a situation where monitored data cannot
be readily incorporated into practical decision making. The present paper reviews current approaches for
assessing fatigue in orthotropic decks using SHM data in combination with an S-N approach. A probabilistic
model to assess fatigue damage considering pavement temperatures and traffic intensities is presented, which
is intended to serve as the basis towards a SHM-based methodology. The objective of such a methodology is
to update fatigue reliability in orthotropic decks considering multiple incomplete monitoring data. This should
lead to more accurate performance predictions and contribute towards the rational use of SHM methods in orthotropic
steel decks.