No. 40. Proceedings of the 10th fib International PhD Symposium in Civil Engineering - 21-23 July 2014 - Quebec, Canada PDF format

It is a great honour and privilege to host the 10th edition of the International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib) International PhD Symposium in Civil Engineering at Université Laval, Québec, from 21–23 July 2014. We are especially honoured as this is the first time this international event is being held in North America. This biennial event is part of fib’s tradition dating back to 1996, when the first edition was held in Budapest, Hungary. About 100 PhD students from over 25 countries are participating in this year’s Symposium.

The INFRA-FONCER/CREATE training program and the Centre de recherche sur les infrastructures en béton (CRIB) of Université Laval have worked very hard to organise this year’s event, offering PhD participants not only a stimulating environment and an atmosphere for open and fruitful scientific discussions, but also an opportunity for international networking.

The organisers are honoured to welcome Mr Bernard Voyer, explorer, alpinist, and adventurer from Quebec, as Special Guest Speaker for the Symposium. Through the passion, motivation, and resilience he has demonstrated in facing various challenges around the globe, it is our hope that the PhD participants will find in him an inspiring model for their own personal and professional development.

Evidently, such a symposium is only possible thanks to the participation of PhD students. The organisers wish to thank them for their hard work and determination in preparing high-quality papers, and we are also grateful to their supervisors for their dedication, mentorship, and support of their students’ participation in this Symposium.

The Scientific Committee, composed of highly knowledgeable experts in various aspects of structural concrete, has carried out extensive work in reviewing all abstracts and papers. They have contributed significantly to this important learning experience for the students, and for this we owe them our sincere gratitude.

The organisers would also like to thank all PhD and MSc students, as well as student assistants from CRIB, for their support in various aspects of the organisation—from editing the proceedings to providing on-site assistance during the event. A special note of appreciation is extended to Mrs Lyne Dupuis for her tireless efforts and valuable support.

Last but not least, the organisers would like to express their gratitude to the various sponsors, without whom this Symposium would not have been possible.

To all participants, the Organising Committee sincerely hopes that this 10th edition of the fib International PhD Symposium in Civil Engineering brings you lasting memories and offers a rewarding and stimulating international forum.