10th International Conference on Structures in Fire

6-8 June 2018
Titanic Belfast

5 June Welcome reception

On behalf of FireSert, Ulster University welcomes you to the 10th International Conference on Structures in Fire.

More information

SiF2018
Committee Members
Call for papers
Conference venue
Registration and costs
Conference schedule
Travel and accommodation

SiF 2018
The 10th International Conference on Structures in Fire will be hosted by the Fire Safety Engineering Research and Technology Centre (FireSERT), Ulster University.
The main focus of the SiF conference is to provide an opportunity for researchers, practitioners and engineers to share their "structures in fire" research, technology and expertise with their peers in an international forum.
Allowing papers to be submitted only a few months before the conference, permits the most current scholarships to be presented.
In addition to high quality state-of-the-art presentations, the SiF 2018 conference will place significant value on discussions both formally, following presentations and informally through receptions, meals and breaks at Belfast's Titanic centre and the Waterfront Hall.
Previous conferences
SiF hosted its first international workshop in Denmark in 2000, followed by workshops in New Zealand (2002), Canada (2004) and Portugal (2006).
These events were renamed as international conferences on Structures in Fire held in Singapore (2008), Untied States (2010), Switzerland (2012), China (2014) and USA (2016).
We hope you will join us as SiF travels back to the United Kingdom in June 2018.
Previous conference information can be viewed at http://www.structuresinfire.com
Important dates
- 3 July 2017 - Submission of extended abstracts opens
- 31 July 2017 - Registration opens (early bird discount until 1 April 2018)
- 22 December 2017 - Submission on extended abstracts closes
- 31 January 2018 - Notification of acceptance abstracts to authors
- 20 March 2018 - Submission of full papers
- 1 April 2018 - Early bird registration ends
- 5 June 2018 - Welcome reception
- 6 June 2018 - Conference begins
Committee Members
Organising Committee
Steering Committee
- Prof Jean-Marc Franssen, University of Liege, Belgium
- Prof Andy Buchanan, University of Cantebury, New Zealand
- Prof Kodur Venkatesh, Michigan State University, USA
- Prof Paulo Villa Real, University of Aveiro, Portugal
Scientific Committee
Chairman
Jean-Marc Franssen
University of Liege, Belgium
m.franssen@ulg.ac.be
Track 1: Applications of Structural Fire Safety Engineering
Kang Hai Tan Nanyang (leader)
Technological University, Singapore
CKHTAN@ntu.edu.sg
Track 2: Concrete Structures
Venkatesh Kodur (leader)
Michigan State University, USA
kodur@egr.msu.edu
Track 3: Timber Structures and Fire Protection Materials
Andrea Frangi (leader)
ETHZ, Switzerland
frangi@ibk.baug.ethz.ch
Track 4: Numerical Modelling
Asif Usmani (leader)
Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
asif.usmani@polyu.edu.hk
Track 5: Composite structures
Guo Qiang Li (leader)
Tongji University, China
gqli@mail.tongji.edu.cn
Track 6: Steel Structures
Paulo Vila Real (leader)
University of Aveiro, Portugal
pvreal@ua.pt
Track 7: Experimental research and any other
Ali Nadjai (leader)
Ulster University, UK
a.nadjai@ulster.ac.uk
Call for Papers
You are invited to submit an extended abstract (two pages) describing the results of your latest scientific research or innovative applications of structural fire engineering, no later than Friday, 22 December 2017.
Submit your abstract
Please submit your abstract Online.
Email Naveed Allam if you experience difficulties with abstract submissions.
Focus for papers
The focus of the conference is on the behaviour of structures under fire exposure, including the art, science and practice of structural fire engineering.
The following topics are addressed:
- Fire and thermal models of fire resistance evaluation.
- Numerical modelling of structures exposed to fire.
- Simple calculation methods.
- Experimental studies.
- Material behaviour at high temperatures.
- Validation.
- Practical applications and case studies.
- Global structure fire behaviour.
- Steel, concrete, masonry, timber, aluminium and composite structures.
- Thermal and mechanical model interface (e.g. CFD-FE).
- Probabilistic aspects of structural fire engineering.
The deadline for extended abstract submissions is Friday, 22 December 2017
What to include
The extended abstract should be two pages in length and must provide a clear summary of the proposed paper. It should include the title of the paper and full contact information of the authors.
Figures, tables and references may be included. Acknowledgements can be added to the written paper.
Your abstract should give sufficient information to allow the reviewers to judge the quality and innovative character of your paper. You should focus on the description of your work and results, avoiding, for example, a long introduction giving the advantages of the product or structural system on which you have been working.
Highlight the added value of your work compared to previous works by you or others (mention previous publications, with references and point out the new aspects that will be contained in your SiF presentation).
Submitting your abstract
When submitting your abstract please indicate the heading under which you think your presentation should fall (see headings below):
- Applications of Structural Fire Safety Engineering
- Concrete structures and other topics
- Timber structures and fire protection materials
- Numerical modelling
- Composite structures
- Steel structures
The final format of the conference will be decided when the number of accepted abstracts is known.
The quality of the work will be the only acceptance criterion.
Submit Full Papers
The submission for full papers will open on Tuesday, 20 March 2018.
Conference Venue
The main conference will be held at Titanic Belfast.
Titanic Belfast
The centre offers panoramic views over the slipways, the exact site where the giant structure of Titanic was built over 100 years ago.
On the first four floors, visitors can enjoy Titanic Belfast’s nine interactive galleries using state-of-the-art technology and innovative design to tell Titanic’s story from conception to construction and launch, to its maiden voyage and subsequent place in history.
Conference locations
All of our conference locations are held in the centre of Belfast, they offer sophisticated surroundings mixed with Northern Irish culture, giving you a truly unique and authentic taste of Belfast and Northern Ireland.
Ulster University
Your welcome reception will be held at Ulster University's modern Belfast City Centre Campus, which is located at York Street, Belfast, BT15 1ED and is easily accessed on foot or by taking public transport.
Ulster University has a national and international reputation for excellence, innovation and regional engagement and makes a major contribution to the economic, social and cultural development of Northern Ireland. Its core business activities are teaching and learning, widening access to education, research and innovation and technology and knowledge transfer.
Belfast City Hall
This magnificent building will host the conference's gala dinner. Built in 1906 the interior of this opulent Victorian building is breathtaking and a splendid setting for welcoming conference delegates to the City of Belfast.
Due to the central location of the City Hall, transport hire is not necessary. The majority of the city centre hotels are within a 5 minute walk from Belfast City Hall.
Registration and costs
Delegates
Fees from now until 1 April 2018 : £360
Fees from 2 April 2018 onwards : £400
This price includes:
- Receptions
- Lunch/Coffee Breaks
- Proceedings
- Conference Dinner
Students
Fees from now until 1 April 2018 : £260
Fees from 2 April 2018 onwards : £300
This price includes:
- Receptions
- Lunch/Coffee Breaks
- Proceedings
If students would like to attend the Conference Dinner an additional £30 per person will need to be paid in advance.
Guests will be charged £50 to attend the Conference Dinner (to be paid in advance).
Conference Schedule
hhe conference begins on Tuesday 5 June with a welcome reception at Ulster University's Belfast campus, generously sponsored by Ulster University's Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment.
Schedule
The conference schedule will be available once abstracts have been reviewed.
Oral presentations
Oral presentations are spaced 15 minutes apart. This means that each presentation should be no more than 12-13 minutes long to allow time for questions from the audience. Please be respectful of this time limit.
A PC computer will be available in each auditorium. Please upload your presentation from a USB before the session begins, conference staff will be available to assist you with this.
The conference organisers have decided that oral presentations will not be supplemented with a poster.
Further information about the work presented will be in the printed proceedings, which will be available at the time of the conference. Further discussion will take place during the five hours of informal networking/discussion time which has been built into the conference timetable.
Guidelines on posters
The posters will be displayed in the large gallery space outside the doors to the auditorium, refreshments will also be available in this area. The centralised location enables the posters to be given good exposure.
Your poster size should be no larger than 0.9 meters wide by 1.2 meters high. Please make your poster as close to this size as possible, no larger.
Travel and accommodation
The 10th Annual SiF conference will be held in Northern Ireland's capital city of Belfast.
Getting to Belfast
Belfast is easily accessible from anywhere in the world, with two airports located in Belfast/County Antrim:
George Best Belfast City Airport
Situated just three miles from Belfast City Centre, this airport has 350 weekly return flights, including 79 from London with British Airways and Aer Lingus which take approximately one hour.
Belfast International Airport
Belfast International Airport at Aldergrove is only 30 minutes drive from Belfast City Centre. The airport has daily flights to 13 UK and 20 European/International airports.
Dublin airport is less than two hours by rail and there is an excellent road network between the two Capital Cities.
By Rail
The Enterprise train services runs eight times daily from Dublin to Belfast with the journey lasting less than two hours.
By Bus
Dublin Airport Express Coach Service operates from Dublin Airport 24 hours a day with a journey time of approximately two hours.
Getting around Belfast
The conference venues, hotels and attractions in Belfast City Centre are only a 5-10 minute walk from each other.
Should additional transportation be required there are a number of bus and train options available. Taxis in the city are affordable (approximately £6 from Belfast City Airport to the conference venue).
If you want to see more of Belfast
Belfast is full of exciting and interesting places to visit and there is something for everyone.
To get the best out of your trip, why not look at the Visit Belfast website for some inspiration.
To experience a taste of Northern Irish culture why not consider the following:
Cathedral Quarter
The historic heart of Belfast is now the city’s up and coming cultural hotspot. These cobbled streets are dotted with gems of all kinds from restaurants, pubs, art and photographic galleries and even a circus! Each year the quarter hosts a cutting edge festival with the emphasis on bringing the arts to unorthodox places.
The Murals
View the famous political and cultural murals in the west and east of the city - either on a black taxi tour or on an open top bus. Learn about the history and culture of Belfast through the political wall murals and before you leave, add your personal message to the peace wall.
Guinness, Oysters and Irish music In a traditional Belfast pub
Sample a local brew in one of Belfast’s historic hostelries, visit one of the traditional pubs for a live Irish music sessions, or check out the hip and trendy bar and club scene, you’ll find it all in Belfast!
Sample local produce at the lively St George’s Market
If you want to enjoy a real taste of Belfast, visit St. George’s Market, open each Friday, Saturday and Sunday offering a wide range of local high quality specialist food and products. Customers can sample the produce; relax with a coffee and newspaper against a backdrop of live jazz or flamenco music. This market is a real treat and a great way to spend a few hours at the weekend.
Shopping at Victoria Square
Victoria Square is Northern Ireland’s shopping mecca, offering a diverse mix of fashion brands including high street and premium labels. Housed under an impressive dome which boasts 360 degree views across the city.
Entry Visa and requirements
For UK nationals a passport is not strictly necessary but photographic identification is required. Check with your airline/ferry company as requirements vary.
For other nationals, a valid passport or national identity card is required.
Visas are not usually requires for citizens from Europe and most other western countries.
Further information is available from the British Embassy in your country of origin.
Accommodation
With 57 hotels in greater Belfast comprising 4,552 rooms the city offers variety, from renowned brands through to distinctive and iconic hotels. In addition by 2018 seven hotels plan to be completed in Belfast - adding 683 rooms.
Delegates will be able to choose from a range of competitively priced accommodation, which are within a short walk of the venues.
As part of the expansion, the Hilton Hotel will have a direct covered connection to the venue. With 198 bedrooms and additional meeting space for up to 400 people this is a potential headquarters hotel.
Delegates can call or email the in-house reservations team to book quoting SIF18.
Holiday Inn Belfast City Centre
- £129 Bed & Breakfast per Single Occupancy Room per Night
- £139 Bed & Breakfast per Double Occupancy Room per Night
T: 0044 2890 242494 select option 1 for reservations
E: reservations@hibelfastcitycentre.co.uk
Holiday Inn Express Belfast City Queens Quarter
- £109 Bed & Breakfast per Single Occupancy Room per Night
- £115 Bed & Breakfast per Double Occupancy Room per Night
T: 0044 2890 311909 select option 1 for reservations
E: reservations@hiexpressbelfast.com
Ibis Belfast City Centre
- £109 Bed & Breakfast per Single Occupancy Room per Night
- £115 Bed & Breakfast per Double Occupancy Room per Night
T: 0044 2890 238888 select option 1 for reservations
E: h7232-re@accor.com
Ibis Belfast Queens Quarter
- £109 B&B per Single Occupancy Room per Night
- £115 B&B per Double Occupancy Room per Night
T: 0044 2890 336666 select option 1 for reservations
E: h7288-re@accor.com
All rates include breakfast, VAT and free Wi-Fi. They require credit/debit card details to guarantee the reservations only and payment is then due at the hotels.
www.andrashouse.co.uk
Park Inn by Radisson Belfast
- Basis: Bed & Breakfast VAT and WIFI
- Cancellation: 28 days of date of Booking – 100% of the Total Cost is charged
- £119 standard room with single occupancy per night
- £129 standard room with double occupancy per night
T: +44 28 90434065
E: reservations.belfast@radissonblu.com
W: www.parkinn.co.uk/hotel-belfast
Radisson Blu Belfast
- Basis: Bed & Breakfast VAT and WIFI
- Cancellation: 28 days of date of Booking – 100% of the Total Cost is charged
- £129 standard room with single occupancy per night
- £139 standard room with double occupancy per night
T: +44 28 90434065
E: reservations.belfast@radissonblu.com
W: www.radissonblu.com
Fitzwilliam Hotel
- £162.00 per room per night inclusive of Overnight accommodation & Full Fitzwilliam Breakfast
- £175.00 per room per night inclusive of Overnight accommodation & Full Fitzwilliam Breakfast
- Guests to call and book their own rooms quoting ‘SIF18’
T: +44 (0) 28 9044 2080
E: enq@fitzwilliamhotelbelfast.com
W: www.fitzwilliamhotelbelfast.com
Hilton Belfast
- £129 Single Occupancy
- £139 Double Occupancy
- Breakfast Inclusive
- 21 day individual cancelation policy
- Credit card details required at time of booking
Book online at http://eventsathilton.com/show/59367d27f6c4665d1ec86dc9
T: +44 (0) 28 90 277216 and quote GUUFA
W: www3.hilton.com
Ramada Encore Belfast
- £85 BB single
- £95 BB double occupancy per room per night, these rates are subject to availability.
- The code SIF18 is to be quoted via email to Rachel Morrison (Reservations Coordinator)
T: 02890 261800
E: reservations@encorebelfast.co.uk
W: www.encorebelfast.co.uk
Bullitt Hotel
- £95 per room per night to include a cooked breakfast
T: 02895 900600
E: info@bullitthotel.com
W: www.bullitthotel.com
Benedicts
- £80 per night single occupancy
- £95 double occupancy.
- Guests need to call with the reference SIF18 and provide card details for their booking and pay on arrival
E: Info@benedictshotel.co.uk
W: www.benedictshotel.co.uk
The Crescent Townhouse Hotel
- Room only single £67
- Room only double £67
- B&B single £75
- B&B double £83
- They require credit card details from Delegates to guarantee & confirm their bookings
E: info@crescenttownhouse.com
W: www.crescenttownhouse.com

Belfast attractions & leisure gallery

SIF 2018 will take place in Belfast.

FireSERT at Ulster University

FireSERT is the Fire Safety Engineering Research and Technology Centre within the School of Built Environment at Ulster University. FireSERT is internationally recognised for its excellence and contribution to Fire Safety Engineering and Science. Find out more about our research and facilities at FireSert.