Hydroelasticity is of concern in various areas of marine technology, such as high speed vessels, floating airports, floating bridges, buoyant tunnels, risers, various cable systems and umbilicals for ROV, and flexible containers for water transport and oil spill recovery. Analysis for design of such structures or systems necessitates integration of hydrodynamics and structural mechanics; hydroelasticity plays the key role.

There has been significant recent progress in research into hydroelastic phenomena and the topics of hydroelasticity are becoming more of current interest. It is indicated by the many abstracts we received for the Conference. Research Institute for Applied Mechanics is also concerned with modernizing hydroelasticity as one of its research areas of theoretical and applied mechanics.

The Second Conference in Fukuoka following the first one in Trondheim in 1994 will provide a forum for engineers and scientists to discuss recent developments in hydroelasticity. We hope it will stimulate the exchange of ideas and information between various disciplines in science and engineering, marine hydrodynamics and structural mechanics.

We hope you will find the Conference programme interesting and productive and will enjoy your stay in Fukuoka.