Background
The NMCM Conference are organized as international events every two years. The previous conference in 1998 attracted participants from 18 countries, and we believe that it presents a unique opportunity for engineers and scientists from throughout Europe, and further afield, to meet at the heart of Europe in wonderful surroundings.

Conference Location
The VIIIth International Conference of Numerical Methods in Continuum Mechanics will be held from 19th to 24th September 2000 in the Hotel Liptovský Ján , in the Low Tatras, Slovakia.
The recreation resort Liptovský Ján lies in the northern part of the Low Tatras National Park. It is within easy reach of Liptovský Mikuláš/Ružomberok which lie on main road and rail routes to the north-east of the capital Bratislava. Frequent train services exist from Bratislava with a journey time of about 3 hours. (Comprehensive details of how to get there will be included on the Conference Web Page). This resort is one of the most attractive and popular places in Slovakia because of its wealth of natural beauty, flora and fauna, numerous thermal springs, and unusual beautiful hidden in subterranean caves. It also has excellent tourist and sports environments throughout the year.

Conference Topics
The aim of the Conference is to present new achievements in numerical methods in continuum mechanics in such areas as:

Scientific Topics

• Computational Solid and Structural Mechanics
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Computational Mathematics and Numerical Methods
• Coupled Problems
• Electromagnetic Fields
• Chemically Reactive Modelling
• Multidisciplinary Topics

Structural Optimization
Industrial Applications Topics

• Acoustics
• Bio-Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Geomechanical and Environmental Engineering
• Industrial Forming Processes
• Material Sciences
• Structural Engineering
• Turbo Machinery
• Vehicle Design and Transport

Scientific Committee:
V. KOMPIŠ – Chairman, University of Žilina, Slovak Republic (E-mail: kompis@fstroj.utc.sk)
M. BONNET – Laboratoire de Mécanique des Solides, France
T. BURCZYNSKI – Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice
F.T.W.CHIU – Orbis IM Ltd., Hamilton, Bermuda
N. A. DUMONT – Departamento de Engenharia Civil, Brasil
M. DUTKO – Technical University of Bratislava, Slovak Republic
R. GALLEGO – Universidad de Granada, Spain
M. KLEIBER – Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
C. KRATOCHVÍL – Technical University, Brno, Czech Republic
V. A. LEITĂO – Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
J. MACKERLE – Linköping Institute of Technology, Sweden
H. A. MANG – Technische Universitaet Wien, Austria
P. MAROVIĆ – University of Split, Croatia
E. A. W. MAUNDER – University of Exeter, UK
G. MESCHKE – Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
I. PACZELT – University of Miscolc, Hungary
F. G. RAMMERSTORFER – Technische Universitaet Wien, Austria
T. SCAPOLLA – Universita degli studi di Pavia, Italia
J. SLÁDEK – Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
J. A. TEIXEIRA de FREITAS – Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
T. E. TEZDUYAR – Rice University, Huston, USA
S. VALLIAPPAN – University of New South Wales, Australia
N. VRANKOVIĆ – University of Zagreb, Croatia
W. L. WENDLAND – Universitat Stuttgart, Germany
Y. G. YANOVSKY – Academy of Sciences, Russia
A. P. ZIELIŃSKI – Cracow University of Technology, Poland

Conference Secretariat
M. ŽMINDÁK – Chairman, University of Žilina, Slovakia
M. HANDRIK – University of Žilina, Slovakia
JAKUBOVIČOVÁ – University of Žilina, Slovakia
P. NOVÁK – University of Žilina, Slovakia

Conference information on registration, hotel and tours as well as on instructions for authors, are available on the Conference Web Page:

Call for Abstracts and Papers
Two page extended abstracts ( with a short summary) on topics related to the themes of the conference are invited by January 31, 2000. Abstracts should outline the main features, results and conclusions as well as their general significance and should also contain relevant references. All communications must be in English and bear the names of all authors, their affiliations and full mailing addresses. Detailed instructions on the preparation of the abstract and paper will be available on the conference web page. Authors are kindly requested to submit their abstracts via the Conference Web Page. Notification of acceptance will be given by February 29, 2000. At which stage recommendations concerning the format of the papers to be published in CD-ROM proceedings will be sent to authors. In order to produce the proceedings in time for distribution to delegates upon registration, completed papers will therefore be required by May 31, 2000.

Please e-mail (or mail) the abstracts to conference secretariat

Deadlines
February 31, 2000 - Deadline for receipt of two-page abstract of proposed paper.
March 31, 2000 - Notification of acceptance mailed.
June 30, 2000- Deadline for submission of final papers. Deadline for remission of all fees.
July 31, 2000 - Technical program mailed.

Language
The official language of the conference will be English. No simultaneous translations to or from other languages will be provided. Papers will be published in English and presented in English.

Conference Papers and Publications
The abstracts contributed papers will be published as proceedings. Full papers ( between 10 and 20 pages ) will be published on CD-ROM which, together with proceedings, will be available to all registered participants at the time of the conference.
Full length papers accepted by Scientific Committee will be published in a special issue of the following journals:
Computer Assisted Mechanics & Engineering Sciences (An official publication of CEACM) or Mechanical Engineering (Slovak Journal) or Engineering Mechanics (Czech Journal) or Building Research Journal (Slovak Journal)

Registration
Researchers interested in attending the Conference should complete the attached Registration Form and return it to Conference Secretariat. Another possibility is to submit their Registration Form via the Conference Web Page

Conference Fee
1^st alternative (19 – 22 September 2000)
Registration fee : 110,-USD
Accommodation (3nights, 1room/2persons) :75,-USD
Meals (4days) : 60,- USD
Total : 245,- USD

2^nd alternative (19 –24 September 2000)
Registration fee : 140,- USD
Accommodation (5nights, 1room/2persons) : 125,-USD
Meals (6days) : 75,- USD
Total : 340,- USD

• For committee members, students and doctoral students registration fee is 55,-USD for 1^st alt. and 80,- USD for 2^nd alt..
• For single room an additional payment of 15 USD per night is required.

• Round table discussion on International Scientific Cooperation ( EU, NATO and other projects) in the Field of Computational Mechanics and Future Trends and Developments in Numerical Methods
• Visit of the museum Liptovská Village in the locality Podbanské

• Tour in the Low Tatras, including Chopok-Jasná peak
• Visit to the thermal Spa Bešeňová
• Excursion and boat trip on either the Liptovská Mara dam , or the Orava dam