SMiRT 5 Conference
|
|
|
|
|
|
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa |
Chairman’s Message
Purpose and Scope of the Conference
The biennial International Conferences on Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology aim at bringing together engineers and scientists who are actively engaged in solving structural mechanics problems in the field of reactor technology with fundamentalists in the general field of engineering mechanics. Thus, both applied and fundamental papers on structural mechanics problems in reactor technology are presented and discussed for the benefit of both reactor technology and of structural mechanics science.
Since the basic concept of the SMiRT-Conferences did prove its vitality and adaptability to the changing needs of the field, we should like to restate it from the Opening Address of the 1st SMiRT Conference (Proceedings of the 1st SMiRT-Conference, Vol. 1, Part A):
The SMiRT-Conferences have been designed for a type of multi-dimensional communication.
First of all, the specialist can communicate with experts in his own field. This is the usual linear dimension of topical meetings.
The second dimension of this meeting extends across the boundaries of the technical fields and should initiate a cross-fertilizing of the different technological disciplines involved.
The third dimension of the Conference results from its bringing together mechanical and structural engineers with fundamental research workers in the general field of engineering mechanics.
Due to the truly international character of this meeting there is also a fourth dimension of communication across the boundaries of countries.
The 1st and 2nd SMiRT Conferences, held in Berlin in 1971 and 1973, and the 3rd SMiRT Conference, held in London in 1975, provided a most useful meeting ground for reactor technologists, mechanical and civil structural engineers, and engineering mechanics scientists from all over the world. The Fourth Conference holds promise of maintaining the high level of contribution from engineers and researchers from all over the world, and of increasing the interaction among fundamental and applied workers in this vital field.
The broad field of structural mechanics in reactor technology has been subdivided, as in the previous SMiRT Conferences, into topical divisions. In this Conference, each of these has been organized by two Division Coordinators, whose individual and collective efforts have played an essential part in the shaping of the Conference programs. Each Division contains a Principal Lecture, highlighting the present state of the field and pointing the way to possible future developments.
SMiRT -5 includes a new division dealing with foreseeable thermal, materials engineering and structural mechanics problems of future fusion reactor power plants.
Acknowledgements
Many persons who have worked so hard in the planning and organization to make this Conference a success would deserve acknowledgement. But it is not possible here to mention all of these persons by name. There are, however, a few people who should be mentioned individually for their outstanding work.
The Transactions of the Conference have once again been produced by the Directorate-General for Scientific and Technical Information and InformationManagement of the Commission of the European Communities. Special thanks go to Mme. J. Stalpaert of this Directorate-General, who acted in the capacity of Publication Manager and has accomplished the monumental task of assembling, printing and distributing in time the SMiRT -5 Transactions.
We are grateful to the several co-sponsoring and cooperating organizations and societies for their extremely important cooperation.
In addition, the Conference organizers are grateful to Mrs. G. Gill of the Bundesanstalt für Materialprüfung, Berlin, who served as Secretary to the General Chairman and Scientific Chairman, to Mrs. E. Warren Secretary to the Deputy General Chairman and to Mrs. E. Kleversaat of the Department of Organization and Operation, International Congress Center Berlin, for their capable and devoted efforts at all stages of the Conference organization.
We are sure that the present Conference will form a memorable link in the chain of SMiRT Conferences, and wish to extend our thanks to all authors and participants, and to all those who have helped so much in the long months of planning, for their unflagging support and assistance..
Thomas A. JAEGER
General Chairman
Bruno A. BOLEY
Scientific Chairman