Fatigue-damage is a critical factor in structures and materials exposed to harsh operating conditions, both in the design stage and during the control of their operation. This is precisely the case of wind turbines since their operating environment includes turbulent and rapidly changing wind flow conditions. Initially, this thesis addresses and compares the most recognized approaches to estimate the damage caused by fatigue in the component level and their applicability to the control of wind turbines. The underlying relationships between these fatigue estimation methods are also explored and underlined.

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