Wind Energy – challenges for materials, mechanics and surface science 28th October 2010 Institute of Physics Applied Physics and Technology Division. Organised by Professor Janice Barton, University of Southampton and Professor Ole Thybo Thomsen from Aalborg University in Denmark. 
 
Wind energy is now an established means of alternative energy generation. Wind energy farms are a regular feature of the landscape in many countries, and large off shore wind turbine farms are being raised in many places as well. However, the hunt for more efficient means of wind energy generation continues. The seminar focuses on the challenges for Physics and Engineering surrounding materials technology, tribology and mechanical sciences. A principal factor in increasing efficiency is blade length, blade design and appropriate material selection. In addition, the mechanics of the drive trains and energy conversion systems  play a key role in the efficiency of the wind power plant. In the move to the offshore environment, maintenance becomes a driving factor along with corrosion and other features associated with surfaces. The seminar aims to identify the key challenges for future development and target areas for future research and development investment. For more information contact: claire.garland@iop.org Download poster here

5th International Symposium on Advanced Science and Technology in Experimental Mechanics  November 4-November 7, 2010 Ryukoku University, Kyoto, Japan
http://jsem.jp/ISEM5/
Contact: Prof. Takashi Yokoyama  Email: yokoyama@mech.ous.ac.jp

Photomechanics 2011 7 - 9 February 2011 Vrije Universiteit Brussel Brussels, Belgium
www.photomechanics2011.org

International conference on full-field measurement techniques and their applications in experimental solid mechanics
Classical procedures used in experimental solid mechanics have been significantly modified by recent advances in optical measurement methods, image processing and infrared thermography. These full-field measurement techniques lead to high resolution displacement, strain and temperature maps which open new and attractive fields of investigation.

The purpose of the Photomechanics 2011 conference is to provide an international forum for academics and practitioners to promote the new possibilities offered by these techniques and to discuss their impact on the mechanical characterization of materials and structures. The Photomechanics 2011 conference follows on from the highly successful Photomechanics 2008 international conference, held in Loughborough, UK in July 2008, which attracted over 120 delegates from 17 different countries.

The conference themes are:

- development and application of techniques such as moiré interferometry, grid methods, photoelasticity, tomography, digital image correlation, speckle interferometry and digital holography in experimental solid mechanics
- comparison, benchmarking and identification of technique suitability for specific applications
- techniques for measurement on nano- and micro- lengthscales and application to micromechanics
- detection and characterization of cracks and damage
- infrared thermography and its application to thermoelasticity, damage and fatigue analysis
- stress and strain field analysis
 identification of the mechanical behaviour of materials and structures from full-field measurements including hybrid methods

Comp Test 2011 - 5th International Conference on Composites Testing and Model Identification 14th-16th February 2011 Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne Switzerland

Call for Papers

http://comptest2011.epfl.ch

This conference aims at bringing together the International scientific community working in the field of testing and modeling of composite materials and structures. It is well accepted that testing such heterogeneous and anisotropic materials and structures raises a number of challenges to researchers, such as the identification of numerous parameters, the development of specific test fixtures (shear, compression, fracture toughness), or the control of parasitic effects.