Report on ICF-IQ
Germany 2011
www.vhcf5.de

The Fifth International Conference on Very High Cycle Fatigue took place from June 28 to 30, 2011 in Berlin, Germany.

170 experts from 21 countries worldwide discussed the influence of very high cycle fatigue loading as a result of high cycle frequency or long product life of components to failure mechanism. 57 delegates from industry show the major interest in this field. Many components as for instance automotive motor parts i.e. fuel direct injection systems, train or tram wheels (using 30 years, 90.000 km/year with 400 load cycles/km results in 1.1x 109 cycles), tracks, bridges, medical devices, heavily stressed power plant components such as rotors and discs, offshore structures, wind energy plants have to withstand such high number of cycles larger than normally tested up to 107 cycles. In that very high cycles fatigue region with load cycles more than 107 up to 109 … 1010 new failure mechanisms occur which are influenced by material of components resp. their metallurgical cleanless resp. inhomogenities of microstructures, loading conditions, stress level, temperature, corrosive atmosphere and others.

More than 75 papers and posters presented the latest results of their research as well scientists of research institutes also experts from the industry.

The conference was an excellent platform for scientific communication, discussion and activities for all of those interested in both fundamental aspects and practical application.

The conference proceedings are available at DVM (www.dvm-berlin.de).

The next conference in this series VHCF6 will take place in 2014 in Chengdu, China.

Berlin, June 29, 2011 Christina Berger Hans-Jürgen Christ
VHCF5 was kindly supported by

ICF:WASI Interquadrennial Conference, ESIS, FEMS, ASTM International, DGM, TMS, JSMS, SF2M, IGF, FESI, IOM3

Report on IQ-ICF 
Egypt 2011 
November 20 2011

This document provides a preliminary report on the EGF1 Luxor Conference November 14-17 2011.: “FIRST INTERQUADRENNIAL ICF CONFERENCE IN MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA” under the auspices of ICF: The World Academy of Structural Integrity; Central Metallurgical Research & Development Institute (CMRDI); Egyptian Society for Laser Industrial Applications (ESLIA). The scope of this national and international conference was “Processing, Performance & Failure Analysis of Engineering Materials”. The details of the conference arrangements, programme and abstracts are available separately (e.g. www.ICF-Egypt2011.org).

Delegates attended from 21 countries (Egypt, Libya, Japan, Poland, France, Germany, Czech Republic, UK, USA, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, India, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, China, Austria, Nigeria, Russia, Netherlands) so that this was a truly international gathering. The environment was spectacular on the banks of the Blue Nile in the Sheraton Resort Hotel with world class facilities making this a truly enviable event with a total attendance of 105 delegates.

One of the first lectures at EGF1 was by the famous international Egyptologist Dr Ahmed Temearak which set the scene for a conference in what may be termed from ancient times, Luxor, Thebes, “The Capital of the Universe” – and the old capital of Upper and Lower Egypt in the times of the Pharaohs 45 centuries ago. A feature of EGF1 was the visits to the Valley of the Kings, Hatshipsut, Habu, Karnak & Luxor Temples and many other ancient sites. As well as wonderful sailing trips in feluccas at sunset on the Nile.

This conference was thus an especially human event with an unusually friendly and hospitable ambience. There were many discussions on the terraces of the Nile by delegates, on outings and sailings as well as within the technical sessions creating an extremely productive, memorable, secure and enduring time for all who were so very fortunate to be able to attend EGF1.

EGF1 was held at a momentous and historic time in Egypt following the Revolution of January 25 2011 and a period which has become known globally as the “Arab Spring”. Originally the conference was arranged for February 14-17 2011. The formal opening of the conference was by the new Governor of Luxor, Dr Ezzat Saad who gave his gracious support to EGF1 welcoming delegates and wishing all a successful conference.

The idea to hold EGF1 was developed through discussions and correspondences in December 2009 variously between Dr Mimoun Elboujdaini ICF-WASI Vice-President and a number of key scientists in Cairo (Professor Abdel-Monem El-Bataghy, Professor Saad El-Raghy, Professor Bahaa Zaghloul, Professor Yehya Badr, Professor Adel Ismail, Professor Mohamed Waly, Professor Hafez Abdel-Azim, Professor Nahed Abdel-Raheem). The concept was an Interquadrennial ICF conference with the goal also of creating a springboard for the development of ICF-WASI in Egypt. These discussions paralleled other steps by Dr Mimoun Elboujdaini in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Nigeria, India, Bahrain, Turkey, Palestine on behalf of ICF-WASI as part of the new 2009-2013 strategies of ICF-WASI as outlined in the keynote paper by Professor David Taplin (CEO & President Emeritus of ICF-WASI) & Professor Ashok Saxena (ICF-WASI Vice-President) at EGF1 “ICF: The World Academy of Structural Integrity – Retrospective and Prospective” during the pioneering ICF-WASI Presidency of Alberto Carpinteri.

At this groundbreaking conference in Luxor the Egyptian Group on Fracture was established (EGF) on November 15 2011 with Professor Abdel-Monem El-Bataghy as EGF President and Professor Mohamed Waly as EGF Secretary-General 2011-2014. This conception and birth of EGF will be formalized through Egyptian protocols via also the creation of a Mission Statement, Constitution and Bye-Laws, Awards, Annual IQ conferences, Executive Committee, membership, appointment of ICF-WASI Voting Member of Council and other ICF-WASI Councilors from Egypt and possible application for also ESIS membership and other international and national links. To optimize this evolutionary process and to provide a partial template for EGF, Professor Francesco Iacoviello President of IGF, The Italian Group on Fracture has agreed to closely collaborate with EGF. EGF also envisages encompassing a Pan-Arab mission regionally as well as in the continent of Africa.

To allow appropriate planning time the next EGF Conference is planned for February 2014 in Alexandria as EGF2 (Chaired by Professor Abdel-Monem El-Bataghy) with thereafter Annual National Conferences in Egypt. Additionally EGF Workshops will variously be organized with a first one potentially in February 2012 in Cairo on Structural Integrity Enhancement in the Petroleum and Fertilizer Industries (Chaired by Professor Bahaa Zaghloul).

The key next step is to call a meeting of EGF in December 2011 in Cairo and to develop correspondence with Professor Francesco Iacoviello of IGF.

Post conference tours have been organized by CMRDI for many overseas delegates also – to the Great Pyramids, Egyptian Museum, Citadel, Old Egypt, Khan el-Khalily Bazaar.

Many thanks to the Organizing Committee, Scientific Committee, International Advisory Board, Memphis Tours Company, Sheraton Hotel, ICF Board and community – and all delegates and participants of the conference. All of you have remarkably and strongly contributed to the success of this conference in very challenging circumstances.

Warmest Wishes and Best Regards to all of you.
Prof. Abdel-Monem El-Batahgy, 
Prof. Mohamed Waly, 
Central Metallurgical R & D Institute, 
Cairo, Egypt