Barcelona is hosting the world's most important conference on computational mechanics and numerical methods

Barcelona (ACN).- From the 20^th until the 25^th of July, Barcelona is hosting the 11^th edition of the most important worldwide conference on numerical methods, the World Congress on Computational Mechanics (WCCM). More than 4,000 scientists, researchers, engineers and academics from 52 countries will be developing computer simulations that allow studying the operation of aircrafts, nuclear plants and the human body without the need of direct experiments on prototypes and people. The summit takes place at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya and it has been jointly organised for the first time with the 5^th European Conference on Computational Mechanics (ECCM) and the 6^th European Conference on Computational Fluid Dynamics (ECFD VI).According to Sergio R. Idelshon, from the organising committee, more than 300 Catalan researchers will participate in the summit and will have the opportunity to contact with experts from around the world who are authentic "walking encyclopaedias".

For five days the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya conference hall, located at the Diagonal business district in Barcelona, will welcome more than 4,000 scientists, researchers, engineers and academics from 52 countries for the 11^th edition of the World Congress on Computational Mechanics (WCCM). This is the world's most important event on numerical methods.

Numerical methods are directly linked to the evolution of civil engineering, aeronautics and mechanics and to the developments in applied sciences such as biomedicine and biology. They allow to study physical phenomena through modelling and simulation, without working on machine prototypes or on human bodies.

3,200 papers presented and 220 mini-symposiums organised

During the WCCM, professionals from different fields related to numerical methods will be presenting 3,200 scientific papers and 220 mini-symposiums. In addition, they will be developing computer simulations linked to the studies of the operation of aircrafts, nuclear plants and the human body.

The WCCM has been previously held in cities like Sao Paulo, Sydney, Venice, Los Angeles, Beijing, Vienna, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Stuttgart and Austin but this is the first time that  it is jointly organised with the 5^th European Conference on Computational Mechanics (ECCM) and the 6^th European Conference on Computational Fluid Dynamics (ECFD VI).

According to Eugenio Oñate, Chairman of the Congress and Director of the International Centre of Numerical Methods in Engineer (CIMNE), "this is an unprecedented event where, for five days, the greatest world leaders in the field of computational mechanics will be working together to help improve the quality of life of people through scientific advances in the computing world."

The opening ceremony, organised by the Spanish Society for Numerical Methods and Engineering (SEMNAN) with the collaboration of the CIMNE, took place on Monday morning and it was chaired by the Catalan Minister for the Economy and Knowledge, Andreu Mas-Colell.

The expert in civil engineering and mathematics Professor Tinsley Oden did the opening talk and other participants included Yakawa Genki, who works in the field of nuclear engineering; the experts in civil engineering Ekkehard Ramm, Xavier Oliver and Antonio Huerta; and the Chairman of the Congress, Eugenio Oñate.

The closing speech will be given by the world expert in computational engineering, the American Thomas Hughes, on Thursday.