Modern engineering structures should ensure an economic design, construction and operation of structures in compliance with the required safety for persons and the environment. In order to achieve this aim, all contingencies and associated consequences that may possibly occur throughout the life cycle of the considered structure have to be taken into account. Today, the development is often based on decision theory, methods of structural reliability and the modeling of consequences. Failure consequences are one of the significant issues that determine optimal structural reliability. In particular, consequences associated with the failure of structures are of interest, as they may lead to significant indirect consequences, also called follow-up consequences. However, apart from determining safety levels based on failure consequences, it is also crucially important to have effective models for stress forces and maintenance planning ... (aus dem Vorwort)