Symposium C
EMBODING INTELLIGENCE IN STRUCTURES
AND INTEGRATED SYSTEMS

Recent research seeks to apply multifunctional capabilities of smartness and intelligence to existing and novel structures and systems. Degree of smartness/intelligence varies from semi-passive smart materials which adaptively respond to an external stimulus by varying some of their characteristics, to mechatronic systems that embody the inherent capability of self-sensing, diagnosis and control by the synergistic integration of smart materials, sensors, actuators and control electronics. The ultimate goal are future structures and systems where integrated smart devices would be used to sense exogenous stimuli and internal material conditions, decide on course of action, and then implement an effective reaction strategy without any external intervention, while maintaining system manufacturability, cost effectiveness, reliability, performance and environmental consciousness and durability. A number of applications and integrations of smart materials, devices and structures into industrial systems are emerging nowadays including civilian, industrial and military applications and more are in the offing, driven by the exponential increase in computing capabilities, and refined design, modelling, control and optimisation strategies that create the premises for a potential expansion to smart autonomous structures and systems.
The conference will highlight advances in adaptive materials and in novel sensor/actuator and micro systems, and their integration in mechatronic structures and systems of various complexities. System level evaluation of smart structures, the interplay of actuation, sensing and processing capabilities, the ideation and numerical modelling and simulation of new actuation and sensing techniques for integrated systems, the analysis, design and testing of active/passive smart dynamic and static structural components and signal processing, together with micro and nano technology, control electronics and materials science involved in interfacing different materials and functions, will be among the scopes of this Symposium that requires multidisciplinary contributions by experts from materials science, theoretical and applied mechanics, electronics, electromechanics and manufacturing.
Solutions to new industrial and commercial applications of smart materials and integrated structures that have well matured beyond the concept stage, reports on more traditional industrial systems where the incorporation of smart materials and integrated devices favours an enabling new capability or a very remarkable performance enhancement and/or cost reduction, and new ideas and directions for future developments will be among the relevant scopes of this Symposium..

Session C-1 Smart materials, sensors/actuators and microsystems

  • Advances in smart materials:
    ferroelectrics, piezoelectrics, electrostrictive, magnetostrictives, shape memory materials, electrorheological and magnetorheological fluids, multifunctional materials, active composites etc.
  • Sensor/actuator technologies based on smart materials:
    integrated sensors/actuators, MEMS sensors and micro-actuators,nano-sensors, etc.
  • Identification of materials properties
  • Physical mechanisms, constitutive behaviour, reliability
  • Multiscale models of materials systems and devices
  • Software tools and optimal design
  • Self-healing materials

Session C-2 Integration technologies

  • Device and structure integration
  • Sensor/actuator coupling with structure, interfaces and interfacing problems
  • Energy transduction mechanisms
  • Structural dynamics
  • Energy harvesting/storage for sensor networks
  • Integrated micro- and nano-structures
  • Mechatronic system integration
  • Model development and control design for integrated systems and microsystems
  • Optimization techniques: sensors/actuators selection and location, feedback designs, etc.
  • Distributed sensor/actuator architecture, techniques and modelling
  • Signal processing techniques: data mining, neural network technologies, data fusion for large sensor arrays, fault recognition and recovery techniques, etc.

Session C-3 Smart structures and integrated systems

  • Active, semi-active and hybrid active-passive control systems:
    vibration control, damping and isolation, noise suppression
  • Active and semi-active shape control
  • Nastic and morphing structures
  • Fault tolerant structures
  • Damage detection, mitigation and repair
  • Remote sensing
  • Life-time assessment
  • Adaptive and self/diagnosing structures
  • Autonomous intelligent structures and systems
  • Intelligent and flexible robotics
  • Large scale simulations

Session C-4 Structural monitoring

Session C-5 Ongoing and perspective application

  • Rotorcraft, aircraft, missile and space structures
  • Defense
  • Civil engineering
  • Cultural heritage protection and restoration
  • Marine and offshore structures
  • Surface transportation
  • Telecommunications
  • Energy
  • Environment
  • Any other