The 11th International Conference on Fracture Fatigue and Wear (FFW 2023)

Abstract: The present Keynote Lecture develops a novel and forward-looking approach of the author to the important concept of structural integrity, the keystone of fatigue & fracture mechanics, comprising and covering all length scales in the conceptual and theoretical framework of the innovative (con-conventional) concepts of giga- mega-, macro-, micro- and nano-structural integrity, thereby broadening the amplitude of the definition of the concept itself. Therefore, the science of fatigue & fracture mechanics (geared towards structural integrity) can be considered as a branch of material science & engineering, and thus the novel concept of material integrity can also be coined, since crack-like defects can affect material’s behavior. Following this new way of thinking, any material can be considered as a structure (a quite more general concept with a broader meaning and comprising also, e.g., the structure of a Bach’s fugue or of a Beethoven’s symphony), such a structure being analyzable at different geometric levels or length scales, i.e., at the giga-, mega-, macro-, micro- and nano-levels. In addition, the concept of structural integrity is extended to fields such as the biology, or to the case of non-material structures, as well as to the area of human behaviour and psychology, developing the concept of personal structural integrity (or, simply, personal integrity). The Keynote Lecture is also a heartfelt tribute to the artist and engineer Leonardo da Vinci, as well as to the physicist and mathematician Galileo Galilei for their important pioneering works in the fields of material strength, fracture and structural integrity.

Biography: Professor Jesús Toribio graduated in Civil Engineering in 1982 and then in Mathematics in 1986. In 1987 he was awarded his PhD in the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and turned into Associate Professor in that Institution. In 1992 he became Full Professor and Head of the Materials Science Department of the University of La Coruña (at the age of 32, thus being the youngest Full Professor in the area of Materials Science in Spain). In 2000 he moved to the University of Salamanca (USAL) where is currently Full Professor of Materials Science and Head of the Fracture and Structural Integrity Research Group (FSIRG) of that Institution.
His research work is mainly concerned with fatigue and fracture mechanics, environmentally assisted cracking, stress corrosion cracking and hydrogen embrittlement/degradation/damage of metals and alloys (mainly cold drawn pearlitic steel wires for civil engineering and austenitic stainless steels for nuclear engineering and energy applications), covering theoretical, computational and experimental aspects. He actively participates in International Conferences, very often being member of the International Advisory Committee, organising Special Sessions/Symposia, being Session Chairman or delivering Plenary/Keynote/Invited Lectures. Professor Dr. Jesús Toribio has published more than 500 scientific papers, most of them in international books and journals.
He is the Chairman of the Technical Committee 10 (TC10): Environmentally Assisted Cracking of the European Structural Integrity Society (ESIS) and has been Director (2013-2017) of the International Congress of Fracture-The World Academy of Structural Integrity (ICF-WASI), being responsible of launching the Ibero-American Academy of Structural Integrity (IA2SI). Prof. Toribio has been awarded a variety of scientific research prizes and awards including: (i) UPM Young Scientist Award of the Polytechnic University of Madrid; (ii) METROTEC Award for the best Technological Research Project; (iii) Honour Medal of the Spanish Group of Fracture (GEF/SEIE) in recognition of his research achievements in the field of fracture mechanics; (iv) Fellow of the Wessex Institute of Technology (WIT) in recognition of leadership and outstanding work in engineering sciences; (v) Top Reviewer 2011 in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the quality of the Elsevier International Journal Engineering Fracture Mechanics; (vi) Fellow of the European Structural Society (ESIS Fellow) for his outstanding contributions to the art, science, teaching or practice of fracture mechanics and his service to the society; (vii) Honorary Member of the Italian Group of Fracture (IGF) in acknowledgement and appreciation of his outstanding achievements in the research field of fracture mechanics; (viii) Best Paper and Presentation Award in the International Conference on Energy Materials and Applications (ICEMA 2017) held in 2017 in Hiroshima, Japan, with a paper entitled: Numerical Simulation of Hydrogen Diffusion in the Pressure Vessel Wall of a WWER-440 Reactor; (ix) María de Maeztu Scientific Award of the University of Salamanca (800th anniversary during 2018) in recognition of academic trajectory and excellence in scientific and technological research; (x) Scientific Merit Award of the Portuguese Group of Fracture (PGF) in recognition of scientific contributions during his career.