Preface

The aim of the sponsors of the 9th Pan American Congress of Applied Mechanics (PACAM IX) was to promote progress in the broad field of mechanics by (1) exposing mature engineers and scientists, as well as advanced graduate students, to new research findings, techniques, and problems, and (2) providing opportunities for personal interactions through formal presentations and informal conversations.The meetings are traditionally held every two years in a Latin American venue, at a time when few other conferences are scheduled.The previous Congresses were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (