FRACTURE toughness is a very important consideration in preventing brittle fractures of welded structures. However, as research and service experience have shown, brittle fracture is not, and never has been, just a material problem. Design, fabrication, materials, inspection, and service conditions all are factors that affect the susceptibility of a structure to brittle fracture. In this chapter the contribution of these factors to the Bryte Bend Bridge failure [1,2] is discussed. In addition, the AASHTO Fracture Control Plan for steel bridges is discussed to show how, had the ASSHTO Fracture Control Plan [3] been in existence, this failure would not have occurred.