Welcome
It is with great pleasure that we invite you to attend the 8th Austroads Bridge Conference (ABC 2011) that will be held in Sydney from 31 October to 5 November 2011.
The conference will showcase the achievements from many of the world leader's in the specialist field of Bridge Engineering. There will also be associated social activities and many opportunities for networking sessions. It will represent a unique opportunity for our sponsors to promote products and services to a targeted audience, for the participants to forge professional collaborations and for Sydneysiders to welcome visitors from around the world. There are plenty of reasons to attend this unique event!
Modern societies rely on safe and reliable road and bridge infrastructure. Thus, to enable our society to grow and develop our future depends on our current bridge engineers inspiring the next generation to choose bridge engineering as a career. The conference is an ideal opportunity to share information, explore opportunities and investigate the progress and future directions in bridge engineering and management, both nationally and internationally. The conference programme includes international speakers, challenging topics and workshops complimented by a variety of exciting social events and ending with a technical tour on Saturday 5 November 2011.
The conference will have a particular emphasis on encouraging young engineers to participate in the conference and the committee has dedicated a session to young engineers to present their papers as well as a special "Young Authors" Award. Young engineers are also offered concessional rate of registration as an additional incentive.
A special part of the conference will be awards for various aspects of bridge design, construction and management. Please refer to more details under Awards.
Sydney is recognised as one of the most beautiful and liveable cities in the world. It has a reputation for friendly people and a cosmopolitan lifestyle. The magnificent harbour, the renowned Opera House, iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and sunny beaches combine to make Sydney a unique destination for the 8th Austroads Bridge Conference. The conference is being held in Darling Harbour which is a focus for visitors and residents alike. Sydney is home to some of the country’s leading businesses, financial institutions and learning centres. As an Australian city with global resonance, Sydney enjoys unquestioned advantages as the destination for an international conference and premier exhibition of worldwide significance. The city, its attractions and people combine to surpass visitor expectations through a combination of appearance, order and good humour.
We’re very much looking forward to welcoming you to the 8th Austroads Bridge Conference, so please register early as to take advantage of the early-bird and young engineers discount as is detailed in the conference brochure.
The Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales (RTA) is privileged to be hosting this conference in Sydney and providing the opportunity to create a forum for bridge engineering information exchange and networking.
Adj Prof Wije Ariyaratne
Conference Convenor
Principal Bridge Engineer
Roads and Traffic Authority, NSW
