The International Joints and Bearings Research Council (IJBRC) of the American Concrete Institute has held four World Congresses on structural devices in North America. In October 2001, the  Congress was held in Europe for the first time and the IJBRC had appointed ACEDIS (the Italian Association of Structural Devices Manufacturers) as its agent to organise the event.

The event focused on topics of particular importance to progress in the field of joints, bearings and seismic systems: design methods, new technology and applications, product choices as well as regulations, specifications, guidelines, research and testing. These topics were covered in the oral and poster sessions.

The scope of the Congress was to present state-of-the-art knowledge and to highlight further avenues for development in this field. It is felt that there are strong possibilities for developments of design and technology particularly in the area of seismic protection.

With the aim of giving complete information on all aspects of the subject, both theoretical and practical, the event brought together recognised scientists and leading manufacturers from all over the world. Thanks to the participation of international exhibitors, the technical exhibition offered the most complete overview of the achievements and potential of the structural device industry.

A technical visit was organised to a site of the Italian High Speed Railway where special railway expansion joints and bearings capable of withstanding high rotations were illustrated by the Contractor.

The President of the Congress was Donatella Chiarotto, who is president of ACEDIS as well as President and CEO of FIP Industriale, and she could organise such a high profile scientific event with the direction  of  the Scientific Committee which was composed by Luca Sanpaolesi de Falena, University of Pisa, Giulio Ballio, Technical University of Milan, Konrad Bergmeister, University of Vienna (Austria), Franco Braga, University La Sapienza Rome, Remo Calzona, University La Sapienza Rome, Vincenzo Ciampi, University La Sapienza Rome, Antonello De Luca, University of Naples, Mauro Dolce, University of Basilicata, Giorgio Macchi, University of Pavia, Giuseppe Mancini, Techncial University of Torino, Alessandro Martelli, ENEA Bologna, Camillo Nuti, University of Pescara, Alberto Parducci, University of Perugia.

The Congress took part shortly after the New York facts, nonetheless more than 200 delegates from 30 different countries took part to the event.

The Proceedings of the Congress were published in CD Rom and contain all the oral and poster presentations. The CD is still available upon request. The Congress web site hosts the full text of the invited speakers presentation: http://www.ega.it/jbss5_2001