GENERAL  INFORMATION  ABOUT  THE  BRITTLE  MATRIX  COMPOSITES  SYMPOSIA

ORGANIZERS OF THE BMC SYMPOSIA

The Institute of Fundamental Technological Research (IFTR) of the Polish Academy of Sciences is the organizer of a series of International Symposia "Brittle Matrix Composites". The IFTR is the major multidisciplinary research institute of the Technical Department of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Beside basic and applied research it provides also education for Doctoral Theses. It is the policy of the Institute to cooperate with other academic bodies in several countries and organize various international conferences and symposia.

The series of BMC Symposia was initiated by the highly successful EUROMECH 204 Colloquium on Brittle Matrix Composites held in Jablonna in November 1985, renamed BMC 1. Three years later the Second Symposium BMC 2 in Cedzyna in September 1988 was organized, followed by the Third International Symposium on Brittle Matrix Composites BMC 3 in Warsaw, September 1991. The Proceedings were published and sold by the Elsevier Applied Science, London and New York. In 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009 BMC Symposia were organized also in Warsaw and the proceedings were published jointly by a Polish and an English publishers.

 

The Symposia Co-Chairmen are:

Professor Dr. Andrzej M. BRANDT from the Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Warsaw, POLAND,

Professor Dr. Christopher K. Y. LEUNG from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, CHINA,

Professor Dr. Jan OLEK from the Purdue University in West Lafayette, USA

and Professor Dr. Michal A. GLINICKI from the Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Warsaw, POLAND.

 

The local organizing Committee and the Co-Chairmen were assisted for each Symposium by International Advisory Panels, composed of outstanding specialists in the fields covered by the Symposia.

The success of the Symposia was closely related to the international cooperation and participation of outstanding personalities from different countries. The Proceedings were published and distributed all over the world.

 

SUBJECT OF THE SYMPOSIA

The subjects of the Symposia are on composite materials with matrices behaving as brittle in normal or special conditions. Brittle matrix composites are applied in various domains (civil engineering, mechanical equipment and machinery, vehicles, etc.) and in the last decades their importance is increasing together with their variety. Examples of the materials which are covered in the accepted papers include:

         - aggregate-binder composites (concretes, fibre concretes, rocks),

         - sintered materials (ceramics),

         - high strength composites with brittle matrices.

In principle, the general problems of structures made of composite materials are not included in the papers. Various approaches to the material engineering problems are presented in the papers. Among others:

         - design and optimization of the structure of materials,

         - theoretical considerations and computational methods,

         - models of materials and prediction of material properties,

         - test methods and new test results,

         - manufacturing processes,

         - applications of new materials and their behaviour in service,

         - durability assessments and environmental effects.

 

OBJECTIVES OF THE SYMPOSIA:

The BMC Symposia provide an opportunity to bring together scientists and engineers interested and actively working in the title subject. The Organizers' ambition is to create favourable conditions for participants from different countries to meet and exchange information, to present papers and follow discussions, and - last but not least - to activate good personal contacts between the participants from various parts of the world during the days of Symposium in informal and friendly atmosphere.

A number of participants who attended the first Symposia BMC 1 and BMC 2 returned for BMC 3, BMC 4, BMC5, BMC6, BMC7, BMC8 and BMC9

 

PARTICIPANTS

At the Symposia several countries and regions were represented. It is the tradition in Poland that in various fields the specialists from different countries meet to present their results and opinions, to discuss and to exchange view points. The series of BMC Symposia plays that role in the field of brittle matrix composites.

The number of participants and the regions of the world represented at these events varied, according to circumstances: others conferences in neighbouring fields, political and economical situation in different countries, etc. Every time, however, the participants created a friendly atmosphere of high-level research and technology.

 

PAPERS AND LECTURES

Only unpublished papers and reports are presented orally or on posters. Original results of research, reports from the new applications and valuable review papers are selected.

All papers are accepted on the basis of the abstracts reviewed by the Members of the International Advisory Panel in conjunction with the Symposium Organizing Committee. Papers are presented, discussed and published exclusively in English.

 

PROCEEDINGS

Full texts of the papers were published as the Symposium Proceedings. All participants obtain their copies of the Proceedings free of charge and can also purchase additional copies at a special discount price directly at the Registration. The Proceedings are later distributed on normal commercial basis.

 

VENUES

The Symposia BMC 1 was organized in Jablonna near Warsaw, BMC 2 in Cedzyna near Kielce and since BMC3 in Warsaw, the capital of Poland. The Symposium is organized in the Staszic Palace in the centre of Warsaw. A short information about this historical building is given here.

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