President’s Welcome and Invitation to ICF16 - Emmanuel E. Gdoutos
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the website of ICF16, the 16th International Conference on Fracture to be held in Melbourne, Australia, 28 June to 2 July 2027 organized under the auspices of the International Congress on Fracture (ICF).
ICF16 will focus on all aspects of structural integrity with the objective of improving the safety and performance of engineering structures, components, systems and their associated materials.
The challenges of increasingly complex systems and structures have made a comprehensive "Structural Integrity" approach more and more evident and essential in many realms of science, engineering, technology and industry − from nano to meso and mega scales − from the development of physics-based models to systems modelling. The overall mission is to concentrate on the demands of the future to find solutions for enhancing safety, reliability, durability and functionality of materials, components and systems.
This is best accomplished through a multi-disciplinary approach and cooperation in new and imaginative ways between basic research and industrial application with scientists, engineers and others uniting in this challenge. This involves enhanced diversity in scientific, technical, educational, social, political as well as historical aspects creating thereby unique synergistic solutions for the common good. ICF has more than sixty years of experience as a leader in this field through a community with a global reach in over 50 countries, ever expanding.
The attendees of ICF16 will have the opportunity to interact with the most outstanding world leaders and get acquainted with the latest developments in the area of failure of engineering and nano materials and structures. ICF16 will be a forum of university, industry and government interaction and exchange of ideas in an area of utmost scientific and technological importance.
On a personal note, I have been involved in fracture mechanics since I was a student, I had my PhD, I published numerous papers, I wrote and edited many books on the subject. I attended many ICFs and European Conferences on Fracture (ECFs), I organized ECF16 and ICF14 in Greece and I served as President of the European Structural Integrity Society (ESIS) from 2006 to 2010. I am humbled and honored to serve as ICF President from 2023 to 2027, and I am excited to participating in ICF16.
I am thrilled to welcome you to Melbourne − a city renowned for its culture, hospitality, and beauty − for what promises to be an exceptional event led by Professor Raj Das. Join us for inspiring discussions, meaningful collaborations, and unforgettable experiences.
I look forward to meeting you in Melbourne!
Emmanuel E. Gdoutos
Professor Emeritus – Academician
