Dear 16ECEE participants,
On behalf of the European Association of Earthquake Engineering, the Hellenic Society of the European Association for Earthquake Engineering and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, it is my great pleasure and honor to welcome you to the 16th European Conference on Earthquake Engineering (16ECEE), organized this year here in Thessaloniki, Greece, in June 18-21, 2018.
In light of the previous successful conferences, we have committed ourselves to deliver a well-tailored and focused event of the highest scientific and organization standards, in a vibrant and friendly city renowned for its beauty, its warm hospitality, and history spanning over 2300 years.
We have devoted a great deal of time and effort to organize the conference, which covers a wide range and diverse state-of-the-art scientific topics. In Thessaloniki, earthquake, risk and geotechnical engineers, geologists and seismologists, young and experienced researchers from more than 60 countries across the world are presenting and discussing more than 1300 scientific papers, reflecting the progress made over the last few years in earthquake engineering. 16ECEE and Thessaloniki offer an excellent forum to exchange ideas, share knowledge and discuss the most recent advances, from engineering seismology and hazard to soil dynamics and geotechnical engineering, and from structural earthquake engineering to risk assessment, management, and seismic design guidelines developments.
Distinguished invited keynote speakers will present the state-of-the-art work and progress in the most advanced and challenging topics in earthquake engineering, addressing also unresolved issues and projecting ideas for the future.
Special sessions, workshops, scientific meetings and round-table discussions, carefully organized within 16ECEE on selected topics of particular engineering and societal interest, aspire to broaden the horizons of the earthquake engineering community and to reinforce international cooperation links.
A diverse and colorful schedule of activities, available to participants and accompanying persons during and after the conference, provides opportunities to experience the great culture, the high-quality touristic services and the magnificent natural beauty of Greece and Thessaloniki, a city where everything is within walking distance and a visitor may find 2300 years of continuous history around every corner. With the renowned Greek hospitality, the pleasant weather and the exquisite cuisine, the beautiful nearby beaches and legendary mountains, as well as the unique archaeological sites and cultural events, we are sure that you will participate in a memorable and scientifically stimulated event, professionally rewarding, and personally enjoyable.
This welcome address should not miss expressing my warmest gratitude to all who contributed to its success: The invited speakers, authors, and organizers of special sessions and other parallel events, for their excellent work and interest to the conference; the organizing and international scientific committees, and the numerous reviewers who succeeded in improving the quality of the papers and increasing their standards; SYMVOLI | Conference & Cultural Management, for its professionalism and excellent organization and management skills; and above all, the small team who supported me in the everyday effort of the organization of the conference, composed by my young colleagues Anastasios Anastasiadis, Dimitris Pitilakis and Sotiris Argyroudis, as well as a group of Post-doc researchers and PhD students of the Department of Civil Engineering of Aristotle University and the Laboratory of Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, represented by Dr. Evi Riga and Dr. Anna Karatzetzou. Without their enthusiasm, support, and devotion, it would not have been possible to successfully accomplish the organization of the 16ECEE.
Thessaloniki, June 17th, 2018
Prof. Kyriazis Pitilakis, Chairman of 16ECEE
