Research and Applications in Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation contains the Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation (SEMC 2013, Cape Town, South Africa, 2-4 September 2013). Over 420 papers are featured. Many topics are covered, but the contributions may be seen to fall into one of four broad themes of the conference, namely: (i) structural mechanics (dynamics, vibration, seismic response, statics, bifurcation, buckling, stability, impact response, contact mechanics, fluid-structure interaction, soil-structure interaction, etc); (ii) mechanics of materials (elasticity, plasticity, fracture, damage, fatigue, creep, shrinkage, etc); (iii) modelling and testing (finite-element modelling, numerical methods, numerical simulations, experimental methods, experimental testing); (iv) structural-engineering practice (planning, analysis, design, construction, maintenance, repair, retrofitting, decommissioning). Not only do the considerations cover many types of engineering structures (buildings, bridges, tunnels, towers, space frames, roofs, foundations, shells, plates, mechanical assemblies, etc), they also span a diversity of engineering materials ranging from the traditional to the novel: steel, concrete, timber, masonry, aluminium, special alloys, glass, composites, functionally-graded materials, smart materials, etc.Two versions of each paper are available. The printed book features 2-page versions of the papers, intended to be concise but sufficiently informative summaries of the full papers. Details may be seen in the full papers, which are carried on the accompanying online resources. Research and Applications in Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation is of interest to civil, structural, mechanical, marine and aerospace engineers concerned with the modelling, analysis, design, construction and maintenance of engineering structures. Researchers, practitioners and academics in these discipines will find the book useful.The SEMC international conferences, inaugurated in 2001, aim at bringing together from around the world academics, researchers and practitioners in the broad fields of structural mechanics, associated computation and structural engineering, to review recent achievements in the advancement of knowledge and understanding in these areas, share the latest developments, and address the challenges that the present and the future pose.
