International Symposia on Advances in Structural Engineering
7-9 September 2026
Cape Town, South Africa
Introduction
The International Symposium on Advances in Structural Engineering Mechanics (ISASEM) and International Symposium on Advances in Structural Engineering Design (ISASED) will run concurrently in Cape Town from 7 to 9 September 2026, as a lead up to the 10th International Conference on Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation, which will take place 2 years later as SEMC 2028. The mechanics symposium (ISASEM) will aim at bringing from around the world researchers on various aspects of the behaviour of engineering materials and structures (including the computational modelling of this behaviour), while the design symposium (ISASED) will have a focus on the practical analysis, design and construction of engineering structures, taking into account issues of sustainability. Of course, the domains of structural mechanics and structural design are each broad enough to warrant two separate conferences, but the organisers have chosen to refer to these two relatively large events as “symposia” since they will run concurrently at the same venue, sharing the same plenary sessions, but each having its own set of parallel sessions within which the various specialist topics will be discussed.
Good structural design requires a proper understanding of structural mechanics, so while a distinction between mechanics and design is desirable, the two are inter-connected. The benefit of keeping the two symposia separate (instead of combining them into one conference) will be to allow more in-depth discussions to take place within the sessions, with a focus on either (i) the mechanical behaviour of engineering materials and structures (mechanics) or (ii) the application of that knowledge to the solution of practical engineering problems (design). On the other hand, holding the two symposia in the same place and at the same time will have the benefit of allowing participants of one symposium to attend sessions of interest in the other symposium. While most of the papers will be expected to report on completed studies, the reporting of research in progress will also be acceptable, provided such work will be sufficiently advanced to merit discussion at the symposia (authors of such work will have the opportunity of presenting their final findings at the SEMC 2028 International Conference).
ISASED
The International Symposium on Advances in Structural Engineering Design (ISASED) will cover all aspects of the design of engineering structures, including material selection, structural analysis and construction considerations.
