Mini-Symposia

Gianluca Cusatis (Northwestern University, USA)
Gilles Pijaudier-Cabot (Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, France)
Jan Elias (Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic)
Madura Pathirage (University of New Mexico, USA)
Mohammed Alnaggar (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA)

Porous heterogeneous quasi-brittle materials, such as, but not limited to, concrete, masonry, wood, rocks, are ubiquitous in many civil engineering applications. Their mechanical behavior, structural performance and long-term durability are influenced by the coupling of chemical reactions, mass transport and heat transfer, as well as fracture at the length scale material heterogeneity.

For the simulation of these fine scale mechanical features, the last several decades have seen the successful formulation and implementation of discrete models, e.g models that are not based on the classical assumptions of continuum mechanics. Discrete models enable the efficient representation of many multiscale and Multiphysics phenomena. These computational technologies have been proven to supersede by far most of other available computational techniques for the simulation of porous heterogeneous quasi-brittle materials, especially for applications where the description of material internal structure and the link among different length scales is important.

This mini-symposium will provide a forum for international experts and researchers to discuss recent advances in discrete modeling.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• fracture and creep;
• multiscale modeling;
• early-age behavior of cast and printed cementitious materials;
• coupled formulations for mass transport, cracking, shrinkage, creep, healing, and deterioration;
• hydraulic fracture.

Computational approaches of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Lattice Discrete Particle Model (LDPM);
• Lattice beam models;
• Discrete Element Method (DEM);
• Molecular Dynamics (DM);
• Semi-Grand-Canonical Monte Carlo (SGCMC) methods.

Breiffni Fitzgerald (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland)
You Dong (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong)
Saptarshi Sarkar (RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Sweden)

The objective of this mini-symposium is to unite experts, researchers, and industry leaders in the field of structural dynamics and control for offshore wind turbines, with a specific emphasis on floating systems. These offshore giants, often towering over 120 meters in height and boasting blade lengths exceeding 80 meters, are subjected to complex dynamic loads from both wind and waves. Understanding and optimizing their structural behaviour and control systems are paramount for safe and efficient energy production. This symposium aims to explore innovative techniques, share research findings, and facilitate collaborations that will drive advancements in structural dynamics and control, ensuring the sustained success of offshore wind turbine installations.

Topics of Discussion:

Structural Dynamics Analysis of Offshore Wind Turbines

• Novel methodologies for analyzing the dynamic response of offshore wind turbinestructures.
• Case studies showcasing the application of structural dynamics analysis in turbine design and operation.

Control Strategies for Enhancing Turbine Performance

• Advanced control schemes to mitigate structural loads and improve turbine reliability.
• Adaptive control systems designed to enhance energy capture and structural integrity.

Floating Wind Turbines and Structural Challenges

• Specific structural challenges and dynamics associated with floating offshore wind turbines.
• Research and innovations addressing the unique dynamics of floating systems.

Vibration and Modal Analysis

• Techniques for characterizing turbine vibrations and modes of vibration.
• Insights into the impact of vibrations on turbine reliability and performance.

Control of Load Mitigation

• Strategies for controlling and reducing loads on offshore wind turbines.
• Load mitigation through advanced control algorithms and real-time monitoring.

Structural Health Monitoring

• Developments in structural health monitoring systems for offshore wind turbines.
• Data-driven approaches for assessing and maintaining structural integrity.

Dynamics and Control of Extreme Conditions

• Analysis and control mechanisms for extreme wind and wave conditions.
• Ensuring structural and operational safety during extreme events.

Integration of Control and Reliability

• Bridging the gap between control systems and structural reliability assessments.
• Optimizing control strategies based on reliability considerations.

Target Audience:

• Researchers and scientists specializing in structural dynamics, control systems, and offshorewind energy.
• Structural Engineers and industry professionals involved in offshore wind turbine design,manufacturing, and control systems development.
• Representatives from governmental agencies, regulatory bodies, and insurance companies.
• Stakeholders and investors interested in advancing offshore wind energy technologies and control strategies.

Roman Wan-Wendner (Ghent University, Belgium)
Giovanni Di Luzio (Politecnico di Milano, Italy)
Mohammed Alnaggar (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA)
Jan Vorel (Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic)

Concrete is still the second most used material in the world after water. No other construction material matches its low cost, ease of processing and versatility. Every day, new developments are introduced to either improve the state of the art of currently used cementitious materials or to mitigate one or more of its downsides either from durability or sustainability points of view. However, to understand and predict the overall time-dependent behavior of cementitious materials, the complex and coupled chemo-physical and mechanical processes that govern their behavior need to be elucidated. Some of the relevant deterioration mechanisms for concrete structures cover but are not limited to steel corrosion, delayed ettringite formation, alkali-silicate reaction, freeze-thaw, carbonation, leeching, chemical attacks, etc.

This mini‑symposium will provide a forum for international experts and researchers to discuss recent developments in computational modeling and experimental characterization of coupled chemical, physical and mechanical processes in cementitious materials.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to: time-dependent behavior with focus on strength gain,two-way coupling between transport, shrinkage, creep, crack healing, and damage induced by loads or environmental/chemical processes.

Materials of interest include: Regular Portland Cement materials, Ultra-High Performance Concrete, Fiber Reinforced Concrete, Fiber Reinforced Concretes, Recycled Aggregate Concretes, Polymer/ Geopolymer concrete and all other Eco-friendly cementitious materials with partial to full Portland Cement replacement.

Matthias Neuner (Universität Innsbruck, Austria)
Christian Linder (Stanford University, USA)
Peter Gamnitzer (Universität Innsbruck, Austria)
Günter Hofstetter (Universität Innsbruck, Austria)

Higher order or generalized continuum models pose powerful tools for describing complex material failure mechanisms in all engineering disciplines. Examples for such continuum models comprise nonlocal, gradient-extended, micromorphic, Cosserat or phase-field augmented approaches. Moreover, such approaches have gained particular popularity as regularization devices in numerical simulations, facilitating mesh-objective solutions for localized material failure. This mini-symposium is dedicated to the discussion of recent advances related to such continuum approaches, including thermodynamically consistent formulations, parameter identification schemes, multiscale approaches bridging micro and macro scales, efficient and robust numerical implementation techniques, or applications to challenging engineering problems. Contributions related to all aspects of higher order continuum models, including theoretical derivations and practical applications, are welcome.

Peter Pivonka (Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane Australia)
Javier Martínez-Reina (University of Seville, Spain)

 There has been an increasing interest in the computational modeling of various aspects of bone biology including the mechanobiology of structural adaptation as well as the cellular and biochemical underpinnings of bone tissue remodeling. In vivo experimentation with bone tissue is very expensive and a deeper understanding of basic bone biology is required in order to improve treatment methods for bone diseases such as osteoporosis and various forms of bone metastases. Bone tissue is multiscale in nature and needs to be maintained by homeostatic feedback processes regulated by cells such as osteocytes, osteoblast and osteoclasts. These processes act across large length and time scales, which are difficult to identify based on experiments alone. Developing multiscale computational approaches together with new experimental data obtained applying latest imaging technologies allow to integrate and then interrogate these feedback processes.

This mini-symposium brings together bioengineers, biologists and mathematicians whose common goal is the advancement of current understanding of bone tissues behavior and function. We are looking for new innovative assessment strategies including multiscale computational modeling and high resolution imaging technologies. Topics will range from musculoskeletal models describing bone-muscle interactions during daily activities such as walking or running, to joint mechanics, to micromechanical models for estimation of tissue mechanical properties, to tissue remodeling and adaptation models, to cellular models describing the complex cell interactions taking into account biochemical and biomechanical regulatory factors.

Christoph Adam (Universität Innsbruck, Austria)
Antonina Pirrotta (Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy)

Natural disasters such as earthquakes, strong winds, or simply human activity, are sources of vibration that may cause discomfort or even damage to structures. The problem of vibration-prone structures has been exacerbated by advances in computer mechanics and materials science, as this leads to increasingly slender structures. One way to address this problem is structural vibration control, which aims to prevent and mitigate vibrations. The development of passive, active, semi-active and hybrid control strategies is therefore a flourishing research area in civil and mechanical engineering. This mini-symposium is intended to serve as a platform to present and discuss with peers the latest developments in structural vibration control, including analytical approaches, numerical simulation and experimental testing.

Lu Hai (Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany)
Meng-Ze Lyu (Tongji University, China)
Xiao-Ying Zhuang (Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany)
Jian-Bing Chen (Tongji University, China)
Timon Rabczuk (Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Germany)
Jie Li (Tongji University, China)

The modeling of engineering materials and the mechanism of randomness propagation are two fundamental research foundations of the advanced structural design theory. Due to the stochastic and heterogeneous meso-structures, concrete-like quasi-brittle materials exhibit complex cracking processes that can result in stochastic failure modes in structural components and systems under external loads. This characteristic of randomness in material properties poses a significant challenge to the safety of engineering structures. Therefore, the physical mechanism of stochastic mechanical behaviors and relevant computational methods are of great importance for the probabilistic failure analysis and safety design of these structural components and systems. With this regard, the primary goal of this mini-symposium is to bring together researchers and engineers active to present the advances for the stochastic mechanical behavior of quasi-brittle materials. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Modeling and simulation of stochastic fields for material properties of quasi-brittle materials.
• Stochastic damage constitutive modeling of quasi-brittle materials subjected to static, dynamic, fatigue loads, and so on.
• Exploration of the physical principles governing stochastic failure in quasi-brittle materials and the identification of sources of intrinsic randomness, including multi-field coupling and multi-scale physical analysis.
• Novel computational methods for analyzing stochastic fracture behavior in quasi-brittle materials, e.g., phase-field modeling, peridynamics theory, and emerging non-local macro-microscopic damage modeling, etc.
• Multiscale stochastic mechanics with a focus on the cross-scale propagation of randomness from materials to structures.
• The utilization of surrogate models and machine learning in stochastic mechanics.

We strongly encourage and warmly welcome contributions that address real-world applications and propose pioneering theories within the fields of mechanical engineering, civil engineering, construction engineering, and related areas.

Noël Challamel (Université de Bretagne Sud, France)
Hayder Rasheed (Kansas State University, Kansas, USA)
Ahmer Wadee (Imperial College London, UK)
Stylianos Yiatros (Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus)
Christina Völlmecke (Technische Universität Berlin, Germany)

This mini-symposium is supported by the ASCE EMI Stability Committee to provide a forum for reporting recent advances to address future prospects in the area of instabilities and failure of nonclassical materials and nonlinear structures. This includes work that involves nonlinear behaviour caused by structural instability, whether occurring naturally or by artificial means, where it leads either to ultimate failure of structural components, systems and materials, or where the instability may be harnessed to enhance performance by some mechanism. We would encourage contributions that are theoretical, experimental or numerical in nature, or a combination thereof.  Contributions investigating theories and applications for non-classical materials and nonlinear structures involving cross-disciplinary areas will be particularly encouraged and sought. The subjects include, but are not strictly limited to, the following topics:

• Stability of columns, beams, plates, shells and sandwich structures.
• Stability of structural elements made of metallic and composite materials.
• Stability of structures with linear or nonlinear elastic or inelastic materials.
• Post-buckling analysis including analytical/computational modelling and methods.
• Progressive cellular buckling, collapse and snaking.
• Development and applications of numerical continuation and generalized path-following techniques.
• Global-local buckling interactions in thin-walled structures.
• Buckling across the scales: nano, micro, thin film and lattice structures.
• Buckling in infrastructure elements (pipelines, rail) under mechanical and non-mechanical loads
• Adaptive, morphing and multistable structures; applications to design of smart structures.
• Stability-based failure mechanisms in various materials including cracks, delaminations and micro-buckling.
• Orthotropic and anisotropic material-related stability problems.
• Dynamic stability problems including energy absorption systems or crashworthiness analysis.
• Stabilities-related issues in layered and granular media including shear and kink band formation.
• Experimental techniques for structural and material stability mechanics.
• Non-local mechanics including stability in systems with non-local effects.
• Stochastic stability treatments with applications in performance-based design.
• Synergistic stability applications for improved structural performance.

Fabrice Gatuingt (Laboratoire de Mécanique Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, Centrale Supélec, ENS Paris-Saclay, CNRS, France)
Stéphane Grange (GEOMAS, University of Lyon, INSA Lyon, France)
Magdalini Titirla (Laboratoire de Mécanique des Structures et des Systèmes Couplés, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, France)

This mini-symposium has a content that combines: subdomain couplings simulations, or numerical couplings with relevant experimental studies through laboratory measurements of various problems that belong to the field of Structural dynamics (seismic engineering, bearing capacity studies, impacts).

A paper submitted in this MS may concerns the dynamic of structures and components, seismic retrofitting towards upgrading the dynamic and earthquake performance of structures or/and components, as well as investigation of various types of energy dissipation systems. In addition, the validation of in-situ or laboratory measurements with numerical modeling using finite elements method is also included in the topics of this MS, as well as hybrid analyses, in which all or part of a structure is modelled, or using domain decomposition or the sub-structuring approach to focus on critical areas.

Hui Wang (Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China)
Shifeng Lu (Xi’an Jiaotong University, China)
Boshan Zhang (Tongji University, China)
Benyi Cao (University of Surrey, United Kingdom)

Geotechnical and underground engineering play a crucial role in the construction and operation of infrastructures such as tunnels, bridges, and dams, as well as in energy extraction and waste disposal. In addition to the laboratory and field tests, numerical simulations of geotechnical and underground engineering are also of vital importance in providing an in-depth understanding in these aspects. With the advancement in computational methods in the past several decades, there are new opportunities for optimizing design, analyzing complex problems, and improving the overall performance and safety of geotechnical and underground systems. The purpose of this mini-symposium is to provide a platform for researchers and practitioners to share their latest progresses and case studies in the field of advanced computational methods for geotechnical and underground engineering.

Topics within the scope of interests include, but not limited to, the following aspects:

• Innovative algorithms or solvers for geotechnical engineering problems;
• Multi-scale and multi-physics analysis of geotechnical and underground engineering;
• Establishment of constitutive models for soil, rock, and concrete;
• Machine learning and artificial intelligence applications in geotechnical and underground engineering;
• Optimization techniques for geotechnical design and construction;
• Data-driven approaches for geotechnical and geological site characterization;
• Risk assessment and reliability analysis in geotechnical and underground engineering;
• Case studies highlighting successful applications of the advanced computational methods;

Mahdia Hattab (Université de Lorraine, France)
Pierre-Yves Hicher (Ecole Centrale de Nantes, France)
François Nicot (Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, France)

Granular materials are ubiquitous in nature and industry. Seventy-five percent of raw industrial materials are in particulate forms. Nature also provides ample examples from rocks to dusts. Engineering design to mitigate natural disasters such as landslide, mudflow, earthquakes, and to process industrial materials from its raw form to the final product relies on fundamental knowledge of granular mechanics. The scales of these problems start from the particle size as the basis. They go down in scale when the surface properties of the particles are important, and up in scale when particles form structures, and when the domain size become much greater than individual particles. Seldom these granular materials exist in a vacuum. Hence the environment plays a role. When particles are charged, as those of clays for instance, the electromagnetic forces must be considered. If there is a significant fluid component in the interstices, the interaction between the fluid and the particles may have significant impact on their mechanical behavior. The granular materials themselves also demonstrate a broad range of phases from gas-like to solid-like, depending on the loading conditions and the material properties as well. Because of the complex physical processes and different scales involved, granular mechanics crosses many engineering disciplines. It also needs expanded science at the edge of several academic fields, as for example out-of-equilibrium thermodynamics and statistical physics to define some of the fundamental mechanisms relevant to all granular systems. Much of this development is still in its early stage. Inputs from both scientists and engineers are needed.

In this mini-symposium we look forward to papers in any field of engineering applications that involve granular and particulate materials, papers that address how to solve one of such problems, or ideas on how to better formulate some fundamental aspects of a host of these problems.

R. Panneer Selvam (University of Arkansas, USA)
Grace Yan (Missouri University of Science and Technology, USA)

Computational Wind Engineering (CWE) has been evolving and applied extensively in recent years due to developments in high performance computing. One of the key components to advance the application in wind engineering is the validation with experimental and field measurements. In this mini-symposium, recent developments in computational fluid dynamics-based applications, CWE based machine-learning and artificial intelligence (AI) will be discussed. The wind engineering topics may include building and bridge aerodynamics, tornado modeling, tornado-structure interaction modeling and fundamental development in inflow turbulence modeling. Other related wind engineering topics are also encouraged. Recent field and wind tunnel measurements that can be of great value for CWE validation are also encouraged.

The participants will be encouraged to submit full papers to publish as JEM special collection.

Yunteng Wang (Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Austria)
Yadong Wang (Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Austria)
Fushen Liu (Zhejiang University, China)
Chengwei Zhu (Zhejiang University, China)
Qi Zhang (Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China)
Shabnam J. Semnani (University of California, USA)
Wei Wu (Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Austria)
Ronaldo I. Borja (Stanford University, USA)

Geomaterials, including soils, rocks, concretes, and snow, represent porous geological media exhibiting complex mechanical responses and multiscale failure characteristics within diverse multiphysics geological environments. A comprehensive understanding of deformation and failure mechanisms in geomaterials plays a crucial role in various fields such as geophysics (e.g., fault weakening, instability, and earthquake rupture), geohazards (e.g., landslides, rock avalanches due to extreme climate change), and geotechnical engineering (e.g., geothermal engineering, and CO2 storage reservoirs).

Numerical analysis is indispensable in modern geomechanics and geotechnical engineering, serving as a valuable bridge between laboratory experiments and field-scale investigations. This mini-symposium aims to provide a platform for the presentation and discussion of recent advances in computational approaches to geomechanics. Topics within the scope of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Constitutive models in geomechanics: Development, implementation, and validation
• Mesh-based and grid-based computational methods for soils, rocks, concretes, and snow, such as FEM, XFEM, Phase-field, SPH, MPM, DEM, Peridynamics
• Multiscale modeling techniques for complex geomechanical behavior
• Multiphysics coupling analysis in geomaterials
• Data-driven and machine learning techniques in geomechanics.
• Large-deformation modeling of geohazards and other geotechnical engineering.
• Numerical simulations of damage, fracture, and strain localization processes.
• Large-scale modeling and high-performance computing of geomaterials and geotechnical engineering

Vasileios Ntertimanis (ETH Zurich, Switzerland)
Manolis Chatzis (University of Oxford, United Kingdom)
Eleni Chatzi (ETH Zurich, Switzerland)
Geert Lombaert (KU Leuven, Belgium)

The mini-symposium deals with structural identification, structural health monitoring, vibration monitoring, and observability algorithms and tools for inferring the properties of dynamic systems using data obtained from dynamic sensors. It covers theoretical and computational issues, with applications in structural, mechanical, aerospace and biological dynamic systems as well as other related engineering disciplines. Topics relevant to the session include vibration monitoring, theoretical and experimental modal identification, linear and nonlinear system identification, model updating/validation and correlation, uncertainty quantification, model class selection, fault detection techniques, early alert systems, optimal strategies for experimental design, theoretical/structural and practical observability and identifiability algorithms, optimal sensor and actuator placement strategies, structural prognosis techniques and updating the lifespan of the system. Papers dealing with experimental investigation and verification of theories are especially welcomed.

Topics of Interest Include:

• Structural Health Monitoring
• System Identification
• Vibration-based Damage detection using data driven or hybrid (data/models) schemes
• Observability and Identifiability of dynamical systems

Sponsoring committee: EMI Dynamics Committee, EMI Structural Health Monitoring Committee

Behrouz Shafei (Iowa State University, USA)
Agathe Robisson (Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien), Austria)
Dana Daneshvar (Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien), Austria)

Cementitious materials are known to exhibit time-dependent deformations mainly due to shrinkage and creep. The effects of shrinkage and creep can directly impact the performance of concrete structures by the formation and propagation of cracks, redistribution of stresses, and loss of prestressing forces. Such effects are pronounced particularly under large deflections and significant sustained loads. Shrinkage of cementitious materials is a time-dependent process that results in volumetric contraction with the risk of generating cracks in the presence of constraints. Various types of shrinkage are commonly observed, including plastic, autogenous, and drying shrinkage. On the other hand, creep is a time-dependent property of concrete, resulting in continuous deformations with time under sustained loads. Creep strain is stress-dependent and influenced by stress history. Therefore, shrinkage and creep are crucial factors in the design and assessment of concrete structures, especially to ensure their long-term safety and performance.

Recognizing the complexities associated with predicting shrinkage and creep over time, this mini-symposium explores the latest developments in the analytical, numerical, and experimental assessment of shrinkage and creep. Contributions related (but not limited) to the following topics are encouraged:

• Innovative experimental test setups and configurations for shrinkage and creep studies
• Advances in the simulation of time-dependent shrinkage and creep in cementitious materials
• Real-world case studies under various environmental and mechanical stressors
• Investigation of the effects of complex geometries and constraints
• Study of creep and shrinkage in high-performance and ultra-high-performance concrete
• Data-enabled strategies to predict shrinkage and creep
• Advanced sensing and health monitoring techniques to capture shrinkage and creep
• Computer vision methods to enable the identification of shrinkage and creep-induced damage
• Novel strategies to mitigate the consequences of shrinkage and creep

Markus Lukacevic (TU Wien, Austria)
Eric Landis (University of Maine, USA)
Sebastian Pech (TU Wien, Austria)
Josef Füssl (TU Wien, Austria)
Michael Schweigler (LNU, Sweden)
Carmen Sandhaas (KIT, Germany)
Pedro Palma (EMPA, Switzerland)
Michael Dorn (LNU, Sweden)

Wood offers excellent advantages as a building material: in addition to being lightweight, economical, and strong, it is renewable, biodegradable, and carbon sequestering. With further development in novel wood-based products and, more recently, wood-based biocomposites, the potential applications are constantly expanding. As such, contemporary wood structures are revolutionizing the construction industry.

Yet, despite these advances, the field of mechanics of wood, wood-based products biocomposites, and timber structures, together with the associated computational modeling, is still very much in its infancy stages. There is still much to explore and learn, for example, about complex brittle and ductile failure modes, material variability and heterogeneity, as well as dependencies on time, moisture, temperature, and size.

Cutting-edge computational and experimental research in this regard will lead to new generations of wood products, biocomposite products, and structures, as well as help produce reliable engineering tools for the design and detailing of these new timber structures.

This mini-symposium is a forum for scientists and engineers working in these fields. The submitted contributions should address recent analytical, computational, and/or experimental advances in the field.

The primary topics of interest are:

• Mechanical response of wood and wood-based composites (e.g., time and moisture-dependent behavior)
• Optimization of engineering wood products (e.g., use of low-quality lamellas, composite lay-up, or mixed species products)
• New and advanced modeling approaches (e.g., probabilistic, macroscopic constitutive modeling, micromechanics, and multiscale modeling)
• Analytical or numerical modeling of experiments, including interpretation and comparison of numerical and experimental results on all length scales
• Geometric modeling of wood and wood-based materials (e.g., automated laser scanning and knot ID in 3D)
• Mechanical behavior of timber connections, including metallic, non-metallic, and glued as well as demountable connections
• Structural behavior of timber buildings (including static and seismic behavior)
• Novel test setups for complex loading cases (e.g., biaxial, non-static, dynamic, moisture, temperature, creep, fatigue, aging)
• Wood drying and saw-mill processes
• Timber-concrete, timber-steel, and timber-timber composite elements
• Performance of timber buildings, including hybrid and composite structures
• Life-cycle aspects due to a better understanding of the mechanics

Laurent Brochard (Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, France),

Advances in the modeling and design of materials rely more and more on multi-scale approaches such as micro-mechanics, molecular dynamics, or granular simulations. These methods all face major up-scaling challenges, either with respect to size or with respect to time. Typically, molecular approaches are able to simulate systems of a few nanometers over nanoseconds, and, even with high-performance computing, these techniques are unable to address typical engineering scales. Another type of up-scaling challenge is the lack of experimental data about the nature and behavior of materials at small scales or over long times. For instance, microstructures of common civil engineering materials such as cement and clays, are poorly known at the sub-micron scale, and their delayed mechanical response exhibits creeping behavior spanning over decades. Addressing such up-scaling challenges can take many forms bridging the gap between different scales: development of scaling laws, use of stochastic descriptors, and investigation of scale-invariant problems. This mini-symposium aims at gathering scientists that address such challenges from different perspectives. How up-scaling challenges are tackled for different issues and different methods, is expected to stimulate fruitful discussions throughout this mini-symposium. Contributions can be theoretical, numerical, or experimental, and can cover any type of methodology in relation to an up-scaling challenge.

Ioannis P. Mitseas (University of Leeds, UK)
Ioannis A. Kougioumtzoglou (Columbia University, USA)
Michael Beer (Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany)
Jianbing Chen (Tongji University, China)

The effective handling of uncertainties is a fundamental requirement for obtaining reliable estimates of response and reliability statistics pertaining to various systems of engineering interest. In particular, it is crucial to employ rigorous mathematical tools for modeling complex systems and excitations. The continuous improvement in computational capabilities, alongside innovative signal processing techniques and advanced experimental setups, have led to the formulation of highly intricate governing equations from a mathematics perspective. These equations encompass elements such as nonlinearities, hysteretic terms, joint time-frequency representations, and fractional derivatives. Note that solving these equations remains an open issue and an active area of research. Notably, the consideration of stochastic effects in the system governing dynamics increases further the difficulty of obtaining solutions.

The objective of this MS is to showcase recent advances and interdisciplinary approaches in the expansive domain of computational methods for stochastic engineering dynamics problems with a focus on uncertainty modeling and propagation. Moreover, this MS aims to foster a forum that encourages meaningful exchange of ideas and collaboration across diverse technical and scientific disciplines. The MS welcomes contributions that span both fundamental research and practical applications of stochastic dynamics in engineering. Also, it invites submissions that utilize data-driven and signal processing methodologies in the modeling process. A non-exhaustive list includes joint time-frequency analysis tools, sparse representations, compressive sampling and data-driven approaches, stochastic/fractional calculus modeling and applications, nonlinear stochastic mechanics/dynamics, stochastic model/dimension reduction techniques, Monte Carlo simulation methods, and risk/reliability assessment applications.

Günther Meschke (Ruhr University Bochum, Germany)
Xian Liu (Tongji University, China)
Wei Song (University of Alabama, USA)
Wouter De Corte (Ghent University, Belgium)
Jiao-Long Zhang (Tongji University, China) 

Recent innovations in, e.g. construction methods, materials and structures, numerical simulations, and monitoring and instrumentation, are driving the development of tunnel engineering. Engineering mechanics provides the foundation for these innovations, because it plays a crucial role in understanding the behavior of the ground, designing safe and efficient tunnel linings, and ensuring their stability during construction and operation. We propose organizing this mini-symposium to bring together experts to share knowledge, discussing advancements, and exploring challenges related to engineering mechanics in tunnelling.

Topics include but not limited to:

•   Ground behavior and soil-structure interaction in tunnelling
•   Tunneling methods and techniques: analysis, design, and construction
•   Numerical simulations in tunnelling
•   Monitoring and instrumentation in tunnelling
•   New materials and structures used for tunnels
•   Experimental investigations on tunnels
•   AI-assisted tunnelling
•   Case studies and lessons learned from tunnelling

Shiwei Zhao (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong)
Ning Guo (Zhejiang University, China)
Jidong Zhao (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong) 

We propose this mini-symposium focusing on recent advances in computational methods for granular media. The mechanical behavior of granular media such as soils, rocks, and concrete is highly complex and requires sophisticated computational modeling. Such modeling plays a pivotal role in many engineering practices related to civil infrastructure, energy, and the environment. This minisymposium aims to provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of recent research in computational methods for granular media.

Contributions are solicited in, but not limited to, the following topic areas:

• Development, implementation, and validation of constitutive models for granular materials
• Computational methods/algorithms for coupled poromechanics and other multi-physics problems
• Granular mechanics and other micromechanics approaches to granular media
• Multiscale modeling techniques
• Advanced techniques in particle-based methods (DEM, MPM, SPH, etc)
• Numerical modeling of fracture and damage processes
• Uncertainty quantification and probabilistic methods
• Data-driven/machine-learning methods

We welcome submissions from researchers and practitioners from both academia and industry. The minisymposium will provide an opportunity for participants to exchange ideas, share their research findings, and discuss challenges and future directions in computational methods for granular media. We anticipate that this minisymposium will attract a diverse group of researchers and practitioners and will contribute to the advancement of computational methods for granular media.

Mohammad Javad Abdolhosseini Qomi (University of California, Irvine, USA)
Kemal Celik (NYU Abu Dhabi, UAE)
Konrad Krakowiak (University of Houston, USA)
Jiaqi Li (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA)
Hegoi Manzano (University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Spain)
Guoqing Geng (National University of Singapore, Singapore)
Mohsen Ben Haha (Heidelberg Materials, Germany)

The decarbonization of concrete is opening new frontiers to envision scalable solutions to meet the global gigaton demand yearly while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. Fueled by the climate crisis, industrial decarbonization has entered almost every aspect of cement and concrete production, from designing new clinkers and supplementary cementitious materials to designing eco-friendly kilns and machine-learned concrete mix designs. This mini-symposium aims to bring together researchers involved in all cement/concrete decarbonization aspects. We are interested in new cement and concrete formulations with low carbon footprints, magnesium-based cements, valorization of waste products through carbon sequestration, and sustainable pathways to produce construction materials through electrochemical processing and advanced separation technologies. We welcome submissions with both experimental and simulation focus on the mechanics (mechanical properties, durability, drying, shrinkage, fracture toughness, etc.), chemistry (hydration, carbonation, electrochemistry, separation, kinetics, etc.), and physics (mass and heat transport, etc.) of new cementitious and concrete materials.

E. Bologna (University of Palermo, Italy)
M. Zingales (University of Palermo, Italy)

The main paradigm of classical mechanics, in the form of Newtonian as well as Hamiltonian formulations of any mechanical problem relies on the basic feature of “locality” of the actions. By the way many unexpected phenomena have been observed in the challenging engineering fields of biomechanics, mechanobiology, critical applications, and advanced manufacturing among others.

The lack of the predictive feature of classical mechanics have been observed yet at the end of the sixties of the last century and several corrections to the local theories have been proposed starting from homogeneization theories, integral non-local elasticity, gradient elasticity, stress-driven and strain-driven elasticity among the others.

The mini-symposium aims to gather contributions to the field by showing that usefulness of nonlocal mechanics for predictions of non-common sense phenomena often observed in emerging engineering applications.

Topics covered by the mini-symposium are enlisted, but not limited to:

• Homogeneization methods
• Integral non-local mechanics
• Gradient non-local mechanics
• Stress-driven elasticity
• Strain-driven elasticity
• Peridynamics modelling
• Non-local modeling in mechanics ad thermodynamics
• Non-local biomechanics and mechanobiology
• Mathematical modeling in presence of non-local uncertainties

Mija Hubler (University of Colorado, USA)
Yunping Xi (University of Colorado, USA)

Recently the range of load-bearing structural materials for application in civil engineering has expanded beyond traditional concretes, masonry, and steel to encompass sustainable alternatives. With the introduction of these new structural materials experimental, theoretical, and numerical methods need to be utilized to assess their mechanical performance in a variety of environments. This session will feature research advances in understanding the characteristics of emerging alternative materials intended for structural applications. Durability and environmental impact on performance is also of relevance.

Eric Landis (University of Maine, USA)
Branko Šavija (TU Delft, Netherlands)

Damage and fracture processes in heterogeneous materials can be extremely complex due to the wide range of mechanisms that can be mobilized at different length scales. This range of relevant length scales presents a particular challenge for experimental investigations due to the ever-present trade-off between resolution and field of view. However, the advancement in technologies applicable to laboratory and field techniques continues to expand what can be imaged, recorded, analyzed and processed.  These improving techniques can both provide insight into old problems, but also answer questions that were previously not possible to answer.  While advances include the various types of imaging such as optical, x-ray, ultrasound or other sources, additional advances include the ways we can extract information from the data, such as applying AI-based analysis technuques.

The intention of this mini-symposium is to bring together scholars to share advances in both the experimental techniques, but also the advances that the new experiments can enable.  Papers will be saught in areas including but not limited to the following:

• Advances in imaging
• Data analsysis
• Integration with advanced computational modeling
• Integration of different length scales
• Advances in quasi-brittle fracture
• Role in better understanding new material systems and healing phenomena
• Advanced methods of experimental control
• AI-based data analysis

Roger Ghanem (University of Southern California, USA)
Clemens Heitzinger (TU Wien, Austria)
Christian Soize (Universite Gustave Eiffel, France)
Minh Nhat Vu (TU Wien, Austria)

An evolving perspective, in the context of ML, on physics-informed systems is to view
them as a subset of the broader set of constrained systems. This permits the relaxation
of some assumptions introduced while deriving governing equations, while at the same
time leveraging algorithmic developments in the broader discipline of constrained
optimization.

This MS aims to explore advances in the development and application of ML/AI methodologies
for constrained optimization and the re-formulation of engineering and mechanics applications
as problems with constraints.

Issues pertaining to the logic of physics, game theory, probabilistic modeling, uncertainty quantification, generative algorithms and related optimization challenges are welcome.

Philipp J. Thurner (TU Wien, Austria)
Patrick Mesquida (King’s College, London, UK)
Orestis G. Andriotis (TU Wien, Austria)

The protein family of collagens has been providing mechanical and structural function for over 500 million years. It is safe to say life as we know it would not exist without collagen proteins. Of the 28 known collagen types, that make up about 30% of the protein mass of the human body, a subgroup is forming fibrils or is associated to fibrillogenesis and mechanical function. Nevertheless, our understanding of nature’s toolbox in specifying collagen and collagen fibril mechanics is still sparse. How are the various tissue mechanics and properties achieved given the above-mentioned toolbox? This question is significant in multiple ways beyond basic science and intellectual curiosity; homeostasis, growth, pathogenesis and ageing are often associated with collagen fibril mechanics. Cells interact with the extra-cellular matrix at the level of one or several collagen fibrils, making them an integral part of the cell mechanobiological cues. This is furthermore highly important for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine approaches.

This mini-symposium is aimed at bringing together scientists from biomechanics, biomaterials, biophysics biology, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine computational science, whose common goal is to understand, model and predict collagen mechanics, structure, fibrillogenesis and degradation in a mechanistic fashion as well as to harness this knowledge for identification of pathologies and pathogenesis, i.e. diagnostics and therapies and furthermore to apply this knowledge to design informed regenerative medicine and tissue engineering approaches.