This is the Eleventh Conference in the Computational Structures Technology series that commenced in 1991. Previous venues for the conference have included: Budapest, Edinburgh, Prague, Leuven, Lisbon, Gran Canaria, Athens and Valencia. The conference is concerned with the application of the latest computational technology to structural mechanics and engineering. Computational Technology encompasses both the latest hardware and software developments as well as algorithmic and theoretical techniques.

The conference is concerned with both theoretical, mathematical and scientific developments as well as applications of established technology to new domains. The word Structures is interpreted in its widest sense.

The conference runs concurrently with the Eighth International Conference on Engineering Computational Technology. Participants may attend sessions from either conference.

The themes for this conference will include: Structural Analysis and Design - Non-Linear Analysis - Dynamic Analysis - Finite Element Analysis - Error Estimation, Verficiation and Validation - Boundary Element Analysis - Fast BEM - Energy BEM - Discrete Element Methods - Particle Methods - Computer Aided Design - Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization - Structural Re-analysis & Sensitivity Analysis - Geomaterials - Plates and Shells - Structural Modelling - Micro-Mechanics Models - Damage Identification - Material Models - Computational Nanomechanics - Computational and Nonlinear Dynamics - Computational Stochastic Mechanics - Structural Reliability - Reliability Problems - Software Standards and Quality Control - Adaptivity - Mesh and Grid Generation - Shape and Topology Optimization - Multi-Disciplinary Optimization - Computational Tools for Integrated Design - Reliability-based Optimal Design (RBDO) - Stochastic Optimal Structural Control - Stochastic Optimal Control of Robots - Stochastic Optimization Methods - Complex Dynamics of Anomalous Processes - Fractional Models - Non-Locality - Dynamic Systems - Chaos - Partial Differential Equations - Stochastic and Reliabilty Analysis - Large Scale Systems - Visualization and Graphics - Impact and Contact Simulations - Post and Pre Processing - Smart Structures - Multi and Inter-Disciplinary Optimization - Composite Materials and Structures - Forming Problems - Poromechanics - Fracture and Fatigue - Numerical Modelling of Foundations - Brittle Materials - Eigensolvers - Education - Coupled Problems - Soil-Structure Interaction - Fluid-Structure Interaction - Simulation - Integration of CST and CFD - Inverse Problems - FEM in Design - Implementation of Computational Procedures - Computer Modelling - Materials Characterisation - Meshfree Methods - Uncertainty and Probabilistic Approaches - Structural Health Monitoring - Computer Simulated Demolition - Robust Design - Acoustics and Vibrations - Damping - Computational Tools for Earthquake and Structural Dynamics - Active Control - Damage Tolerance and Fail Safety - Verification and Validatiion - Multi-scale Modelling - eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM) - Smart Materials and Structures - Functional Graded Materials - Piezoelectric Materials - Computational Biomechanics - Multi-Body Dynamics - Structures under extreme loading (e.g. blast and fire) - Design of Protective Structures - Spectral and Wave Element Methods - Differential Quadrature Methods - Human Induced Vibrations - Railway Engineering.

Analysis, modelling and simulation of a wide range of structural types including: aerospace, civil, mechanical and offshore structures including: membrane structures, lightweight structures, fabric structures, retractable roofs, steel structures, concrete structures, timber structures, aluminium structures, brick structures, blockwork structures, geotechical structures.

Papers concerned with the following aspects of structural engineering computation are particularly relevant to the conference: Parallel Processing - Use of High Performance Computer Architectures - Supercomputing - Domain Decomposition and Partitioning - MIMD Architectures - Distributed Computing and Networking - Artificial Intelligence and Knowledge-Based Systems - Novel Software Tools and Development Environments - Virtual Reality - Algorithms for Vectorization and Parallelisation - Genetic Algorithms - Neural Networks - Object Oriented Methods - Data Mining - Solution Procedures for Large Scale Problems - Hardware and Software developments for HPC - Grid and Cloud Computing - WWW Applications - Computational Intelligence - Evolutionary Processes - Autonomic computing.

Download the conference flyer for distribution to colleagues.

To encourage young researchers to attend the conference a 1000 Euro Young Researcher Best Paper Prize will be awarded to the best paper presented at the conference. To read the full terms and conditions of this competition, please click here.

The CST2012 Conference will be opened jointly with the ECT2012 Conference with a lecture presented by Professor K.J. Bathe of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge MA, USA entitled "Advances in the Multiphysics Analysis of Structures".

A number of special sessions will be organised at this Conference. Papers may be submitted directly to the Conference Editor or to any of the special session organisers if you wish to participate in their session. Over the coming months the list of special sessions will gradually grow. Please visit this page regularly to keep up to date. Please also notice the important dates. Click session titles for session aims and scope.

• CST2012-S01: Eigenvalues of Continuous Systems,
  organised by Prof. S. Ilanko, The University of Waikato, New Zealand (ilanko AT waikato.ac.nz) and Prof. D. Kennedy, Cardiff University, UK (kennedyd AT cf.ac.uk)
• CST2012-S02: Reliability Based Optimization (RBO): Stationary and Dynamic Problems,
  organised by Prof. K. Marti, Federal Armed Forces University, Munich, Germany (kurt.marti AT unibw.de), Prof. G.I. Schuëller, Leopold-Franzens University, Innsbruck, Austria (mechanik AT uibk.ac.at) and Prof. H.A. Jensen, Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria, Valparaiso, Chile (hector.jensen AT usm.cl)
• CST2012-S03: Mechanics of Pressurized Membranes,
  organised by Prof. A. Eriksson, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden (anderi AT kth.se)
• CST2012-S04: Structural Stability: Modelling, Simulation and Experiments,
  organised by Prof. J. Blachut, The University of Liverpool, UK (em20 AT liverpool.ac.uk) and Prof. A. Limam, INSA Lyon, France (ali.limam AT insa-lyon.fr)
• CST2012-S05: Probabilistic Approaches to Structural Mechanics,
  organised by Prof. A. El-Hami, LMR / INSA ­ ROUEN, France (aelhami AT insa-rouen.fr)
• CST2012-S06: Buckling and Postbuckling of Laminated Structures,
  organised by Prof. A.J.M. Ferreira, FEUP, Porto, Portugal (ferreira AT fe.up.pt)
• CST2012-S07: Composite and Hybrid Structures of Steel and Concrete,
  organised by Dr. L. Pallares, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Spain (luipalru AT cst.upv.es) and Dr J.M. Adam, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Spain (joadmar AT cst.upv.es)
• CST2012-S08: Masonry Models,
  organised by Dr. L. Pallares, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Spain (luipalru AT cst.upv.es) and Prof. F.J. Pallares, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Spain (frapalru AT fis.upv.es)
• CST2012-S09: Novel Numerical Methods in Solid Mechanics,
  organised by Prof. L. Godinho, University of Coimbra, Portugal (lgodinho AT dec.uc.pt) and Dr D. Dias-da-Costa, University of Coimbra, Portugal (dcosta AT dec.uc.pt)
• CST2012-S10: Damage Identification Methods,
  organised by Prof. J.V. Araujo dos Santos, IDMEC/IST, Portugal (viriato AT ist.utl.pt) and Prof. H.M.R. Lopes, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Portugal (hlopes AT ipb.pt)
• CST2012-S11: Composite, Sandwich and Adaptive Structures: Modelling, Optimization, Simulation and Testing,
  organised by Prof. C.M. Mota Soares, IDMEC/IST, Portugal (cristovao.mota.soares AT ist.utl.pt), Prof. A.L. Araujo, IDMEC/IST, Portugal (aurelio.araujo AT ist.utl.pt) and Dr F. Moleiro Duarte, IDMEC/IST, Portugal (filipa.moleiro AT dem.utl.pt)
• CST2012-S12: Differential Quadrature, Generalized Methods and Related Discrete Element Analysis Methods,
  organised by Prof. C.N. Chen, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan (cchen AT mail.ncku.edu.tw)
• CST2012-S13: Fatigue Assessment and Damage Control of Railway Bridges,
  organised by Prof. W. Salvatore, University of Pisa, Italy (walter AT ing.unipi.it) and Prof. G. De Roeck, K.U.Leuven, Belgium (guido.deroeck AT bwk.kuleuven.be)
• CST2012-S14: Stability, Non-Linear Behaviour and Design of Steel Structures,
  organised by Prof. D. Camotim, ICIST/IST, Lisbon (dcamotim AT civil.ist.utl.pt) and Dr C. Basaglia, ICIST/IST, Lisbon (cbasaglia AT civil.ist.utl.pt)
• CST2012-S15: Multiscale Modeling and Uncertainty Quantification of Heterogeneous Materials,
  organised by Dr. G. Stefanou, National Technical University of Athens, Greece (stegesa AT mail.ntua.gr) and Dr. F. Xu, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken NJ, USA (xxu1 AT stevens.edu)
• CST2012-S16: Derivative-Free Methods for Engineering Optimization,
  organised by Prof. J.F. Aguilar Madeira, IDMEC/IST and ISEL, Portugal (jaguilar AT dem.ist.utl.pt) and Prof. H. Pina, IDMEC/IST, Portugal (hpina AT dem.ist.utl.pt)
• CST2012-S17: Seismic Vulnerability Assessment,
  organised by Prof. G. De Roeck, K.U.Leuven, Belgium (guido.deroeck AT bwk.kuleuven.be) and Dr H. Friedl, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna, Austria (herbert.friedl AT ait.ac.at)
• CST2012-S18: Computation and Mechanics of Composites,
  organised by Prof. T. Kant, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, India (tkant AT civil.iitb.ac.in)
• CST2012-S19: Material Technology,
  organised by Prof. R. Lackner, Universität Innsbruck, Austria (roman.lackner AT uibk.ac.at)
• CST2012-S20: Recent Advances in Structural Analysis and Optimization for Acoustics and Vibrations,
  organised by Prof. M. Matos Neves, IDMEC-IST, Portugal (maneves AT dem.ist.utl.pt)
• CST2012-S21: Vibration Effects on Structures and Environments,
  organised by Prof. J. Bencat, University of Zilina, Slovakia (jan.bencat AT gmail.com) and Prof. K. Stypula, Cracow University of Technology, Poland (kstypula AT poczta.fm)
• CST2012-S22: Computational Aspects in Contact and Interface Modeling,
  organised by Assoc. Prof. S. Dumont, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France (serge.dumont AT u-picardie.fr) and Prof. F. Lebon, Université de Provence, Marseille, France (lebon AT lma.cnrs-mrs.fr)
• CST2012-S23: New Applications of Isogeometric Methods to Structural Analysis,
  organised by Prof. M. Cuomo, University of Catania, Italy (mcuomo AT dica.unict.it), Dr L. Greco, University of Catania, Italy (leopoldo.greco AT dica.unict.it) and Prof. A. Reali, University of Pavia, Italy (alessandro.reali AT unipv.it)
• CST2012-S24: Safety and Risk of Underground Infrastructures,
  organised by Prof. E. Alarcon, ETSII-UPM, Madrid, Spain (enrique.alarcon AT upm.es) and Dr. I. del Rey, ETSII-UPM, Madrid, Spain (ignacio.delrey AT upm.es)
• CST2012-S25: Numerical Analysis of Low-Frequency Vibrations in Lightweight Buildings,
  organised by Dr L. Andersen, Aalborg University, Denmark (la AT civil.aau.dk) and Prof. P.H. Kirkegaard, Aalborg University, Denmark (phk AT civil.aau.dk)
• CST2012-S26: Railway Research: Vehicle Dynamics, Infrastructure Response and their Interaction,
  organised by Dr J. Pombo, IDMEC/IST, Portugal (jpombo AT dem.ist.utl.pt) and Dr V. Markine, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands (v.l.markine AT tudelft.nl)
• CST2012-S27: Structural Waveguide Modelling Methods,
  organised by Prof. J.R.F. Arruda, FEM-UNICAMP, Brazil (arruda AT fem.unicamp.br) and Prof. J.-M. Mencik, ENI Val de Loire - University of Tours, France (jean-mathieu.mencik AT univ-tours.fr)

The Conference Editor is Prof. B.H.V. Topping (University of Pécs, Hungary and Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK)

The members of the editorial board for this conference are: Dr J.M. Adam Martinez, Spain; Prof. H. Adeli, USA; Prof. S. Adhikari, UK; Astt. Prof. S. Adriaenssens, USA; Prof. C. Agelet de Saracibar, Spain; Prof. J.F. Aguilar Madeira, Portugal; Prof. E. Alarcon, Spain; Prof. M. Amabili, Canada; Dr L. Andersen, Denmark; Prof. C.A.C. Antonio, Portugal; Prof. T. Aoki, Japan; Dr S. Arangio, Italy; Prof A.L. Araujo, Portugal; Prof. J.V. Araujo dos Santos, Portugal; Dr R. Ardito, Italy; Prof. A.J. Aref, USA; Prof. F. Armero, USA; Prof. J.R.F. Arruda, Brazil; Dr A.F. Ashour, UK; Prof. H. Askes, UK; Dr C.E. Augarde, UK; Prof. J. Awrejcewicz, Poland; Dr L. Baeza, Spain; Dr A. Bahreininejad, Malaysia; Prof. J. Banerjee, UK; Prof. C. Baniotopoulos, Greece; Dr T. Baranger, France; Prof. A. Baratta, Italy; Prof. H.J. Barbosa, Brazil; Prof. E. Barkanov, Latvia; Dr M. Barkhordari, Iran; Prof. R.C. Barros, Portugal; Dr C. Basaglia, Brazil; Prof. K. Bathe, USA; Assoc. Prof. J.M. Battini, Sweden; Prof. F. Bay, France; Prof. Z.P. Bazant, USA; Dr R.G. Beale, UK; Prof. A.A. Becker, UK; Prof. W. Becker, Germany; Prof. G. Beer, Austria; Dr S. Bellouettar, Luxembourg; Prof. J. Bencat, Slovakia; Prof. A.C. Benim, Germany; Dr M. Betti, Italy; Dr-Ing. C. Birk, Australia; Prof. M.L. Bittencourt, Brazil; Prof. Z. Bittnar, Czech Republic; Prof. J. Blachut, UK; Prof. P. Boisse, France; Prof. F. Bontempi, Italy; Prof. B. Boroomand, Iran; Prof. H. Borouchaki, France; Prof. P. Bouillard, Belgium; Prof. M.A. Bradford, Australia; Prof. F. Branco, Portugal; Prof. D. Briassoulis, Greece; Dr J. Brozovsky, Czech Republic; Prof. Dr M. Brünig, Germany; Prof. J.W. Bull, UK; Prof. T. Burczynski, Poland; Prof. F. Buyle-Bodin, France; Prof. D. Camotim, Portugal; Prof. J.B. Cardoso, Portugal; Prof. E. Carrera, Italy; Prof. F. Casciati, Italy; Dr G. Cederbaum, Israel; Prof. A.H. Chan, UK; Dr S. Chandra, India; Dr D. Chapelle, France; Prof. C.N. Chen, Taiwan; Prof. W. Chen, USA; Prof. G. Cheng, China; Dr J.R.C. Cheng, USA; Prof. J. Chenot, France; Prof. G. Chiandussi, Italy; Prof. F. Chinesta, France; Prof. C.G. Chiorean, Romania; Asst. Prof. T. Chondros, Greece; Prof. C. Cinquini, Italy; Dr P.G. Coelho, Portugal; Prof. J.Y. Cognard, France; Prof. A. Csebfalvi, Hungary; Prof. M. Cuomo, Italy; Prof. L. Damkilde, Denmark; Dr K. Davey, UK; Prof. S. De, USA; Prof. R. de Borst, UK; Prof. G. De Roeck, Belgium; Prof. G. de Saxce, France; Prof. C. Desai, USA; Dr D. Dias-da-Costa, Portugal; Asst. Prof. Z. Dimitrovová, Portugal; Prof. M. Doblaré, Spain; Dr I. Doltsinis, Germany; Prof. M. Domaszewski, France; Dr S. Dumont, France; Prof. L. Dunai, Hungary; Prof. J. Eberhardsteiner, Austria; Prof. A. Elhami, France; Prof. A. Eriksson, Sweden; Prof. R.E. Erkmen, Australia; Prof. D. Eyheramendy, France; Prof. A.J.M. Ferreira, Portugal; Prof. F.C. Filippou, USA; Dr A. Formisano, Italy; Assoc. Prof. D. Foti, Italy; Prof. A. Frangi, Italy; Prof. D.M. Frangopol, USA; Prof. M. Friswell, UK; Prof. G. Gambolati, Italy; Prof. C. Gantes, Greece; Prof. L. Gastaldi, Italy; Prof. V. Gattulli, Italy; Prof. Dr-Ing. N. Gebbeken, Germany; Dr M. Gilbert, UK; Prof. R. Gilbert, Australia; Prof. D. Givoli, Israel; Prof. L. Godinho, Portugal; Prof. F. Gonzalez Vidosa, Spain; Prof. R.V. Grandhi, USA; Dr G.A. Gravvanis, Greece; Prof. M.D. Grigoriu, USA; Prof. A. Groenwold, South Africa; Dr Z. Guan, UK; Prof. R. Guedes, Portugal; Prof. P. Hajela, USA; Prof. P. Hajela, USA; Prof. Dr-Ing habil D. Hartmann, Germany; Prof. J. Herskovits, Brazil; Prof. G. Hofstetter, Austria; Prof. G. Holzapfel, Austria; Prof. O. Hopperstad, Norway; Prof. T.J.R. Hughes, USA; Dr L. Iannucci, UK; Prof. A. Ibrahimbegovic, France; Prof. S. Ilanko, New Zealand; Prof. I. Iskhakov, Israel; Prof. C.A. Issa, Lebanon; Prof. A. Ivankovic, Ireland; Prof. P. Iványi, Hungary; Prof. S. Ivorra, Spain; Prof. B. Izzuddin, UK; Prof. K. Jarmai, Hungary; Full Prof. H. Jensen, Chile; Prof. M. Jirasek, Czech Republic; Prof. M. Kaliske, Germany; Dr E. Kameshki, Kingdom of Bahrain; Prof. M. Kaminski, Poland; Prof. T. Kant, India; Prof. J. Kaplunov, UK; Prof. A. Kaveh, Iran; Professsor D. Kennedy, UK; Dr A.I. Khan, Australia; Prof. P.H. Kirkegaard, Denmark; Prof. U. Kirsch, Israel; Prof. M. Kleiber, Poland; Dr P. Komodromos, Cyprus; Prof. C. Könke, Germany; Prof. L.Y. Kossovich, Russia; Prof. W.B. Krätzig, Germany; Dr J. Kruis, Czech Republic; Dr A.S. Kwan, UK; Prof. R. Lackner, Austria; Prof. P. Ladevèze, France; Prof. N.D. Lagaros, Greece; Dr N. Lam, Australia; Dr Z.Q. Lang, UK; Dr F. Lauro, France; Prof. K.L. Lawrence, USA; Prof. F. Lebon, France; Dr C.K. Lee, Singapore; Dr J.d.P.B. Leite, Brazil; Dr C. Leo, Australia; Prof. A. Leung, Hong Kong; Prof. R. Levy, Israel; Prof. R. Lewandowski, Poland; Prof. R. Lewis, UK; Dr Q. Li, Australia; Prof. K.M. Liew, Hong Kong; Prof. A. Limam, France; Prof. A. Liolios, Greece; Prof. J. Logo, Hungary; Prof. H.M. Lopes, Portugal; Prof. P.B. Lourenco, Portugal; Prof. J. Máca, Czech Republic; Dr R.I. Mackie, UK; Prof. G. Maier, Italy; Prof. C. Majorana, Italy; Prof. H.A. Mang, Austria; Prof. R.J. Marczak, Brazil; Prof. S. Mariani, Italy; Prof. Dr K. Marti, Germany; Prof. M. Matos Neves, Portugal; Dr E. Maunder, UK; Dr Ing K. Maute, USA; Prof. F.M. Mazzolani, Italy; Dr C.T. McCarthy, Ireland; Prof. T.J. McCarthy, Australia; Prof. G. McClure, Canada; Dr G. Mejak, Slovenia; Prof. J.M. Mencik, France; Prof. C. Meyer, USA; Prof. A. Mikkola, Finland; Dr G. Milani, Italy; Prof. E.S. Mistakidis, Greece; Dr C. Mittelsted, Germany; Prof. A. Miyamoto, Japan; Dr F.A.D.M. Moleiro Duarte, Portugal; Prof. F.J. Montans, Spain; Prof. R. Montenegro Armas, Spain; Prof. E.V. Morozov, Australia; Prof. C.A. Mota Soares, Portugal; Prof. C.M. Mota Soares, Portugal; Prof. J.E. Mottershead, UK; Prof. Z. Mróz, Poland; Prof. J. Murin, Slovakia; Prof. G. Muscolino, Italy; Prof. Y. Narita, Japan; Prof. C. Navarro, Spain; Dr L.A.C. Neves, Portugal; Prof. L.F.C. Neves, Portugal; Prof. G.P. Nikishkov, Japan; Dr D.V. Oliveira, Portugal; Prof. E. Oñate Ibanez de Navarra, Spain; Prof. H.R. Ovesy, Iran; Dr L. Pallares, Spain; Dr F.J. Pallares Rubio, Spain; Prof. P. Papadopoulos, USA; Prof. B. Patzak, Czech Republic; Prof. C. Pearce, UK; Dr C. Pellegrino, Italy; Prof. M.S. Pereira, Portugal; Prof. J. Petrolito, Australia; Prof. Y. Petryna, Germany; Prof. Y.L. Pi, Australia; Dr B. Picoux, France; Prof. H. Pina, Portugal; Dr J. Plesek, Czech Republic; Prof. O. Polit, France; Dr J. Pombo, Portugal; Dr S.V. Poroseva, USA; Prof. C.G. Provatidis, Greece; Prof. F.G. Rammerstorfer, Austria; Prof. O. Rand, Israel; Prof. B. Rao, India; Prof. M. Raoof, UK; Prof. J. Reddy, USA; Prof. Y. Ribakov, Israel; Dr J.J. Ródenas García, Spain; Prof. H. Rodrigues, Portugal; Prof. Dr -Ing. habil R. Rolfes, Germany; Prof. M.L. Romero, Spain; Prof. G. Rozvany, Hungary; Prof. U. Rüppel, Germany; Dr D. Rypl, Czech Republic; Prof. E. Sacco, Italy; Prof. M.P. Saka, Kingdom of Bahrain; Prof. E. Salajegheh, Iran; Prof. W. Salvatore, Italy; Prof. C. Sansour, UK; Prof. L.M. Santos Castro, Portugal; Prof. E.J. Sapountzakis, Greece; Prof. Dr E. Schnack, Germany; Prof. B. Schrefler, Italy; Prof. G. Schuëller, Austria; Dr W. Sebastian, UK; Prof. A.A. Shabana, USA; Dr O. Shai, Israel; Prof. J. Shao, France; Prof. S.K. Sharan, Canada; Dr M. Shariff, UAE; Dr Y. Sheng, UK; Prof. J. Sienz, UK; Prof. L.M.d.C. Simoes, Portugal; Prof. L. Simoni, Italy; Prof. S.W. Sloan, Australia; Dr V. Smilauer, Czech Republic; Prof. J. Souza de Cursi, France; Prof. G.E. Stavroulakis, Greece; Dr G. Stefanou, Greece; Prof. G.P. Steven, Australia; Dr C.C. Swan, USA; Prof. C. Syrmakezis, Greece; Prof. B.A. Szabo, USA; Prof. K. Sze, Hong Kong; Dr K. Tai, Singapore; Prof. I. Takahashi, Japan; Prof. I. Takewaki, Japan; Prof. K.K. Tamma, USA; Prof. J.W. Tedesco, USA; Prof. R.A. Tenenbaum, Brazil; Dr A. Tessler, USA; Prof. G. Thierauf, Germany; Prof. V.V. Toropov, UK; Prof. J.R. Torregrosa, Spain; Assoc. Prof. Y. Tsompanakis, Greece; Prof. J. Turmo-Coderque, Spain; Dr G.J. Turvey, UK; Prof. R. Veldman, USA; Prof. P. Venini, Italy; Prof. G. Venter, South Africa; Prof. Dr-Ing. T. Vietor, Germany; Prof. W. Wagner, Germany; Prof. M. Walker, South Africa; Prof. X.S. Wang, USA; Dr M.C. Weng, Taiwan; Dr Q. Xiao, UK; Prof. Y. Xie, Australia; Dr X.F. Xu, USA; Prof. Y.B. Yang, Taiwan; Dr Z. Yang, UK; Prof J. Ye, UK; Dr W.d. Yu, Taiwan; Prof. A. Zingoni, South Africa; Prof. T. Zohdi, USA;

The conference proceedings, which will be available on the first day of the conference, will be published by Civil-Comp Press.

Authors may submit extended and improved versions of their papers for review and possible publication in the conference special issues of Computers & Structures (CAS) (Elsevier), Advances in Engineering Software (ADES) (Elsevier) and the International Journal of Railway Technology (IJRT) (Saxe-Coburg Publications). Papers presented in special session CST2012-S26 "Railway Research: Vehicle Dynamics, Infrastructure Response and their Interaction" are eligible for submission to IJRT only. All other papers may be submitted to the Elsevier journals listed above using the specified submission procedure. The review process will decide in which journal the accepted paper will be published. The details of the submission procedures and deadlines will be provided in the printed conference programme, as issued at the registration desk during the conference.

Please take note of these important dates when planning your participation to this conference:

Abstract submission (final call)	closed
Notification of abstract decision	20 March 2012
Full paper deadline	as advised by the editor in your abstract acceptance email
Last day for author registrations	15 June 2012
Programme is released	15 August 2012
The conference	4-7 September 2012

The venue for the conference is Hotel Dubrovnik Palace *****, Croatia's finest Luxury Resort Hotel & Spa, situated 4.5km from the historic Old City of Dubrovnik and 22km from Dubrovnik Airport.

There is a regular bus service (No. 4) from the Hotel to the Pile Gate of the Old City of Dubrovnik. Buses run approximately every 20 mins during daytime hours.

The hotel offers wireless internet access free of charge to all conference participants in the conference area.

All presentations, lunches and coffees will be at this location. For information on how to get to the venue, click here.

Accommodation is available in the Hotel Dubrovnik Palace ***** (the conference venue) and also in two nearby hotels: Grand Hotel Park **** and Hotel Kompas ***. These two hotels are within walking distance from the conference venue. Special room rates are available for conference participants in these three hotels, provided room bookings are made following the procedure described here.