load data such as the torque bearing force temperature etc u201c r u201d their respective time profiles and or their minimum and maximum values the actual load data 7 is weighted with a weighting function 28 for example as a function of the length of the time period represented by the actual load data 7 the weighted actual load data is then linked 29 to the originally applicable data record 25 6 in a simplified embodiment the previously applicable data record 25 6 may also be replaced by the weighted actual load data 7 or may simply be replaced by the actual load data 7 itself in many applications however it is desirable for example for a spurious value in the actual load data 7 resulting from a special load or from the damage to the load path not to be included directly and completely in the representative data record 6 in this case a type of low pass filter function by means of the link 29 will be desirable such that if an abrupt change occurs in the actual load data 7 the representative data record 6 is matched only gradually to these changed circumstances the associated time constant with which this matching process is carried out can be predetermined the representative data record 6 can be stored in the memory means 2 can be displayed on a screen 30 at the computation system 3 and or can be passed on to the computation system 3 for calculation of the parameters for the.