HPSM/OPTI 2025
12th International Conference on High Performance and Optimum Design of Structures and Materials
10-12 June 2025
Edinburgh, UK
Overview
12th International Conference on High Performance and Optimum Design of Structures and Materials that took place in Edinburgh, UK, was organised by the Wessex Institute, represented by its Academic Director Dr Stavros Syngellakis, and the University of A Coruna, Spain, represented by Professor Santiago Hernandez. The meeting was sponsored by WIT Transactions on the Built Environment.
The meeting followed the success of a series of conferences on Structures and Materials and their Optimum Design that started in Southampton as long ago as 1989. As the meetings evolved, they gave rise to the current series, which started in Seville in 2002, followed by Ancona (2004), Ostend (2006), the Algarve (2008), Tallinn (2010), the New Forest, home of the Wessex Institute (2012), Ostend (2014) and Siena (2016).
Opening of the Conference
The conference was opened by Stavros, who mentioned that WIT has a series of research and development activities in its field of expertise, that is, the simulation of engineering and scientific problems using advanced computational methods. WIT is known around the world as the originator of the Boundary Element Method (BEM), a technique that it has applied to solve a wide variety of problems. Stavros emphasised in his opening address the groundbreaking role of the Institute’s founder, the late Prof Carlos Brebbia, in the establishment and development of BEM. During his talk, Stavros highlighted some case studies relating to optimal design of corrosion protection systems and assessment of structural integrity against fracture. Further development of WIT’s unique computational tools is continuously required due to the demands of industry, which supports many of these activities.
Stavros also referred to the importance of the conference series towards fulfilling the objective of the Institute, that is, the transfer of knowledge. The work presented at WIT conferences is widely distributed through its publication by WIT Press, the publishing arm of the Institute, in the WIT Transactions, which are archived in Open Access format in the eLibrary of the Wessex Institute of Technology (www.witpress.com/elibrary).
In his opening remarks, Professor Prof Santiago Hernandez, the co-chairman of the Conference, also emphasised the importance of the conference.
The conference participants presented recent research initiatives on the development of materials with enhanced capabilities at micro, meso and macroscale, suitable for use in various scientific and technological applications. The focus was on characterisation and search for improved, mainly mechanical properties of different types of materials such as metals, plastics, composites and biomaterials. Bioengineering studies were also presented in the topic of molecular structural analysis.
Innovative structural typologies were also another area of interest at the meeting. There was more emphasis on sustainability rather than on innovations in large scale construction projects, such as high-rise buildings, large stadiums and sport halls, pedestrian bridges and long span bridges. Cardboard microarchitecture through scaled prototypes was proposed for internal space redevelopment leading to optimum life-cycles. It was argued that technological innovations contribute to meta-design of modular, energy-efficient, and flexible facilities for vulnerable populations’ healthcare.
Both materials and structures can benefit of the advantages of optimization techniques that guide the engineers and scientists in the search of the best solution for the problem they are working on. In that regard, numerical optimisation methods need to be seen as design tools that help engineering intuition, make better designers and speed up the learning curve of young practitioners. Currently these techniques are mature enough to be used in real design problems in mechanical, aerospace, construction or civil engineering. Several commercial codes have a variety of optimisation capabilities for various engineering fields. The application of various optimisation strategies was presented at the conference: structural, shape and topology and multi-objective optimisation as well as evolutionary methods.
The contributing authors are experts from many countries specialising in fields of materials definition and characterization, structural designers, architects, mechanical, aircraft and civil engineers as well as experimentalists and computer analysts developing software for application to the fields covered at the conference.
Invited Speakers
The conference programme was also enhanced by a series of invited presentations:
- “Shape of the Pareto front and sensitivity analysis at the Pereto Points in multi-objective optimization”, by Prof. Santiago Hernandez, University of A Coruna, Spain
- “Matrix Analysis of Molecular Structures: theoretical foundations, implementation and applications”, by Fermin Navarrina, University of A Coruna, Spain
- “Multi-attribute decision-making in prestressed concrete road flyover design”, by Victor Yepes, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Spain
- “Dealing with discrete binary variables in MINLP structural optimization” by Stojan Kravanja, University of Maribor, Slovenia
Conference Sessions
There was a special session organized by Professor Santiago Hernandez. Title of the session: “Methods of structural optimization and applications - state of the art in Spain” Session Papers:
- Matrix Analysis of Molecular Structures: theoretical foundations, implementation and applications by F. Navarrina, A. Fernandez-San Miguel, L. Edreira, L. Ramirez, I. Couceiro, A. Soage, J. Paris, X. Nogueira, A. Peon, B. Rodino, I. Colominas & M. Casteleiro
- New length scale control approaches for Topology Optimisation by Garaigordobil, J. A. Postigo, R. Ansola & J. Canales
- Multi-attribute decision-making in prestressed concrete road flyover design by L. Yepes-Bellver, J. Alcala & V. Yepes
- Shape of the Pareto front and sensitivity analysis at the Pereto Points in multi-objective optimization by S. Hernandez & F. Nieto
Conference Publication
Papers presented at this conference will appear in Vol. 216 of the WIT Transactions on The Built Environment (ISSN 1743-3509). Papers presented at the meeting will be available Open Access in the eLibrary of the Wessex Institute (https://www.witpress.com/elibrary) from where they can be freely downloaded by any interested parties.
Conference Dinner
The conference dinner was held at "Cannonball Restaurant & Bar," a unique 17th-century, award-winning restaurant with spectacular views of Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile. The meal featured traditional Scottish dishes with a modern twist. The private room where the dinner took place reflected Scottish style and offered a unique space for the delegates to socialize and enjoy an excellent meal.
Excursion
The conference took place in the centre of Edinburgh, which was a convenient location for a walking tour of the city’s most iconic landmarks. The tour was led by two very experienced guides, both of whom have published books on the history of Edinburgh.
The delegates visited Edinburgh’s most famous landmark - Edinburgh Castle - dramatically perched atop Castle Rock, offering panoramic views of the city below. The tour then continued along the historic Royal Mile, where the group saw the site of the old Mercat Cross, historically used as the place for public executions and beheadings, a grim reminder of the city’s turbulent past.
Next, they visited Greyfriars Kirkyard, the renowned cemetery linked to the Harry Potter series. Visitors explored gravestones that inspired character names, including Thomas Riddell, believed to have influenced the name of Lord Voldemort. The tour also included a stop at the monument to the philosopher David Hume, whose legacy as a major figure of the Scottish Enlightenment continues to influence modern thought.
Closing of the Conference
The Conference was closed by Stavros who thanked the delegates on behalf of WIT for contributing to yet another successful conference. He looked forward to their participation at the next meeting, which will be reconvened in 2027 in a location and at a date to be announced shortly. In his final remarks, Stavros thanked the conference coordinator Marta Graczyk for all her hard work in the smooth running of the conference and the members of ISAC for their support. Both papers and presentations were of high quality and wide range that notably impressed the advisory committee and the participants equally.
Wessex Institute