The venue for the 1998 conference was the Experimental Psychology Building, Oxford University. Accommodation was provided nearby in Keble College. The conference was organised by the British Society for Strain Measurement (BSSM) on behalf of EPCEM, and enjoyed generous sponsorship from a number of industrial organisations, principally AEA Technology plc, and the co-sponsorship of professional bodies in several countries including JSME and SEM, and of IMEKO. The AEA Technology sponsorship was used to provide awards to help young participants from EPCEM member countries. Oxford (“that sweet city with her dreaming spires” and the oldest seat of learning in the UK) is a place of glorious buildings and tranquil gardens, an unparalleled attraction to academics and non-academics alike. There was an exhibition of measuring equipment etc. in the conference building and the Social Programme of visits and non-technical events proved to be very popular.
There were 219 papers in the conference proceedings, about 25% from UK authors and rather more from Japan. Altogether 27 countries participated. Presentations were made in three parallel sessions, with a typical presentation time of 20 minutes. Plenary lectures on (i) the crashworthiness of trains, (ii) aeroengine materials, (iii) electronic moiré and (iv) joints of the skeleton were very well received.
There were 65 presentation sessions in all; one was devoted to a Young Stress Analyst competition, the rest were grouped under four main headings: (i) Applications of experimental mechanics, (ii) Experimental methods, (iii) Biomechanical engineering aspects of experimental mechanics and (iv) Materials behaviour and testing. As a reminder of the far-reaching changes in technology since the first conference in 1959, it is noted that there were two sessions (10 papers) on photoelasticity (almost all on technical developments rather than applications) and six sessions (28 papers) on other advanced optical techniques (eg. holography, speckle pattern interferometry). Other prominent subject areas were: Fracture mechanics and related topics (5 sessions, 23 papers), Fatigue (4 sessions, 15 papers), Biomechanical engineering (3 sessions, 12 papers) and Residual stresses (2 sessions, 10 papers). A session entitled “Education”, followed by an open discussion session, was a valuable inclusion.