This award supports the participation of ten U.S. scientists in a U.S.-Japan Seminar on Development and Future Dimensions of Structural Testing Techniques. The seminar, which will be held in Hawaii June 28 - July 1, 1993, is co-organized by Professor Stephen Mahin of the University of California, Berkeley, and Professor Tsuneo Okada of the University of Tokyo. The seminar focuses on three main themes: technical aspects of existing and emerging technologies for experimental analysis of structural components and systems, theoretical considerations related to test planning and execution, and methodologies and procedures for documentation, dissemination, and sharing of experimental data. Among the topics for discussion are: laboratory automation, advanced loading techniques, advanced instrumentation, advancement of data acquisition and analysis, fabrication of specimens, scale effects, rate of loading effects, establishment of appropriate loading condiditons, innovative test concepts, dissemination of experimental data, correlation of experimental and analytical data, and development of design criteria on the basis of test results. This is the first meeting between U.S. and Japanese researchers in this field in nearly a decade. It is expected that the seminar will result in several new assessments of procedures and recommendations on development of methods, facilities, and dissemination of information. //
