Fatigue damage can shorten the lifespan of steel bridge decks. To accurately assess fatigue, it's important to consider the order in which loads are applied. A new method was developed to calculate fatigue reliability for weld joints in steel decks, taking into account the history of fatigue loading. By analyzing strain data from real bridges, researchers found that considering load sequence effects is crucial for accurate fatigue assessments. Additionally, initial damage can significantly reduce the fatigue reliability of steel decks.