Advances and Trends in Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation features over 300 papers classified into 21 sections, which were presented at the Fourth International Conference on Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation (SEMC 2010, Cape Town, South Africa, 6-8 September 2010). The SEMC conferences have been held every 3 years in Cape Town, and since then brought together academics, researchers and practitioners active in structural mechanics, associated computation and structural engineering.  The main purpose of the conferences was 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.
All major aspects of structural mechanics, associated computation and structural engineering are addressed in the present volume, including: structural mechanics (dynamics, vibration, impact, buckling, seismic response, fluid-structure interaction, soil-structure interaction); mechanics of materials (plasticity, fracture, fatigue, creep, shrinkage, damage, deterioration); numerical/computational modelling (numerical methods, formulations, finite-element modelling, structural modelling, material modelling, simulations); structural engineering and construction in the various materials (steel, concrete, timber, masonry, glass, steel-concrete composite, fibre-reinforced composite, laminated composite); design, construction and operational considerations (fire resistance, seismic resistance, loading, safety and reliability, codification, design optimisation, construction, assembly, monitoring, maintenance, repair, retrofitting). The structures dealt with include all sorts of buildings, sports facilities, bridges, viaducts, tunnels, underground structures, foundation structures, coastal structures, dams,  industrial towers and masts, containment structures (silos, tanks and pressure vessels), ship and aircraft structures, motor-vehicle structures, mechanical components and biological structures.
Advances and Trends in Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation is published as a book of extended abstracts, and an accompanying CD-ROM with the full papers, and will be much of interest to engineers, academics and researchers in civil, structural, mechanical and aerospace engineering, and to those concerned with the analysis, design, construction and maintenance of engineering structures.