Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Mechanics and Materials in Design (M2D2026)

The 11th International Conference on Mechanics and Materials in Design (M2D2026) continues a long-standing tradition of bringing together researchers, engineers, designers, and practitioners from around the world to discuss advances, challenges, and emerging directions in the broad fields of engineering mechanics, materials science, manufacturing technologies, and biomechanics. This series of conferences started in 1996, in Toronto (Canada) and they are wholly devoted to advances in mechanics, materials, structural integrity and design. M2D2026 is jointly sponsored by the University of Porto, the University of Toronto and the Portuguese Society of Experimental Mechanics. Held in the beautiful coastal city of Albufeira, Portugal, from 22 to 26 June 2026, this edition of the conference reaffirms the vitality and relevance of interdisciplinary research in shaping the future of engineering design.

The response from the scientific community has been remarkable. For M2D2026, we received over 170 submitted papers, authored by more than 530 contributors representing 25 different countries. This impressive level of participation reflects both the international reach of the conference and the growing importance of integrated approaches to mechanics and materials in modern engineering practice. The diversity of contributions - spanning theoretical developments, experimental investigations, numerical modelling, design methodologies, and industrial applications - demonstrates the richness and dynamism of the field. The papers included in these Proceedings underwent a rigorous peer-review process conducted by an international panel of experts. Their careful evaluations ensured the scientific quality, clarity, and relevance of the accepted contributions. We extend our sincere appreciation to all reviewers for their dedication, professionalism, and timely efforts. Their work is essential to maintaining the high standards that characterize the M2D conference series.

The conference themes, which address novel and advanced topics on Mechanics and Materials in Design, focused on Theory, Experiments and Applications in Engineering, including Aerospace, Automotive Engineering, Civil and Structural Engineering, Bioengineering and Biomechanics, Computational Mechanics, Advanced Materials, Experimental Mechanics, Tribology and Surface Engineering, Energy and Thermo-Fluid Systems, and Additive Manufacturing, among other topics organized as special sessions, in the form of specialized Affiliated Symposia.

The conference also included an Affiliated Colloquium on "The Role of Applied and Experimental Mechanics in Empowering Future Progress", where an expert panel with many years of collective and active researchers and educators shared with the audience the prospects and the challenges faced in their disciplines.