Travel Support for Fifth International Conference on Stochastic Structural Dynamics (SSD'03)

随机结构动力学（SSD）是一个广泛的技术领域，它主要研究结构在动力荷载作用下的随机性。 荷载、材料特性、施工工艺等的不确定性可能导致随机变异性。 最著名的随机载荷包括地震、风、海浪以及人为力、车辆和机器。 材料性质的随机性在微米级甚至纳米级的晶粒尺寸和取向的分布中是固有的。 在建造或制造过程中的不精确性是不可避免的。 所有这些不确定性都必须在设计和改造阶段加以考虑，从可能的结构故障、运动不稳定性和其他不可接受的性能标准以及避免这些问题的控制策略的角度考虑。 第五届随机结构动力学国际会议（SSD'03）将于2003年5月26-28日在中国杭州召开。 其目的是将世界各地从事SSD及相关领域的研究人员和工程师聚集在一起，交流最先进的研究和实践信息。 经过十年的经济发展，包括大量新材料新结构的建设，中国为美国参加SSD'03提供了一个独特的机会，以确定结构和材料的前沿研究领域，特别是SSD应用。 迄今为止，已收到80多篇摘要，其中25篇来自美国，30篇来自中国大陆，超过25篇来自世界其他国家。 要求为美国与会者提供部分差旅支助。

Stochastic structural dynamics (SSD) is a broad technical field, and is concerned with random variabilities of structural behaviors under dynamic loads. The random variabilities may be caused by the uncertainties in loads, material properties, construction processes, and others. The most well known random loads include earthquake, winds, ocean waves, as well as man-produced forces, vehicles and machines. Randomness in material properties is inherent in the distributions of grain sizes and orientations at the micro- or even nano-scales. The imprecisions in construction or manufacturing processes are unavoidable. All these uncertainties must be considered at the design and retrofit levels, from the point of view of possible structural failure, motion instability, and other unacceptable performance standards, as well as control strategies to avoid them. Following the successes of the previous four SSD conferences, all held within the US, the Fifth International Conference on Stochastic Structural Dynamics (SSD'03) will be held in Hangzhou, China on May 26-28, 2003. The objective is to bring together researchers and engineers involved in SSD and related fields throughout the world to exchange information on state-of-the-art research and state-of-the-practice. After a decade-long economic development, including construction of a large number of new structures with new materials, China provides a unique opportunity for the US participation of SSD'03 to identify the frontier research areas in structures and materials, especially for SSD applications. To date, more than 80 abstracts have been accepted, including 25 abstracts from the US, 30 from mainland China, and over 25 from other countries around the world. Partial travel support for US participants is requested.