
The 13th South African Conference on Computational and Applied Mechanics (SACAM 2024) will be held on 22 and 23 January 2024 at STIAS Wallenberg Centre in Stellenbosch.
SACAM is a premier international conference on Computational and Applied Mechanics on the African Continent that attracts local and international participants. SACAM is held every two years under the auspices of the South African Association for Applied Mechanics (SAAM) as a forum for presenting current computational and applied mechanics developments. The main function of SACAM is to bring together engineers, scientists and applied mathematicians from academia, research institutions and industry to encourage scientific engagement and exchange of ideas in applied and computational mechanics. Participation of postgraduate students and industry researchers are encouraged to participate.

SACAM Countdown
7 May – 9 May 2024
Conference Topics
The conference will focus on these topics, but discussions and presentations are not limited hereto.

AerodynamicsBiomechanics
Computational Fluid DynamicsComputational Methods in MechanicsDiscrete Element ModellingEngineering Education

Finite Element ModellingFluid MechanicsFluid-Structure InteractionsMechanics of CompositesMechanics of MaterialsMechanics of VibrationsMicro- and Nano-Scale Mechanics

Soil and Rock MechanicsSolid MechanicsStochastics MechanicsStructural DynamicsStructural MechanicsThermodynamics and Heat Transfer
Registration, Arrival & coffee
Welcome
Opening address
Keynote 1
Break
Parallel track 1 & 2
Parallel track 3 & 4
Lunch
Keynote 2
Paralell track 5 & 6
Break
Parallel track 7 & 8
Cocktail function
Featured Speakers
Take a look at some of the speakers who will be present at SACAM 2024. These speakers will give keynote addresses at the conference. More speakers will be added frequently, so keep an eye on this page for more information.

CURRENT POSITION
Professor, Department of Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University
Address: Department of Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering, Private Bag X1, 7602 Matieland, South Africa
PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS
Discrete Element Method (DEM) and related calibration and validation methods, Material Point Method (MPM), meshless-finite element methods, polar continua (Cosserat), granular flow and bulk materials handling, numerical modelling in general.

A/Prof Karin Wolff has been in education for over two decades, and in engineering education since 2008. She has worked as a lecturer, curriculum specialist, student learning support manager, and in staff development at four South African universities. Her doctoral research (University of Cape Town) looked at the relationship between mathematics, physics and logic in complex engineering problem solving in the world of work. She draws on Social Realism, particularly Legitimation Code Theory, to analyse and design knowledge- and knower-building practices. She is the Teaching & Learning Advisor in the Faculty of Engineering, Stellenbosch University, and president of the South African Society for Engineering Education (www.sasee.org.za). Her current research focus is on facilitating community-of-practice development, and bridging the theory-practice divide in STEM fields in the African context. Her research website and publications are available at: https://sites.google.com/view/dr-karin-wolff-portfolio

Jat du Toit is an emeritus professor of Mechanical Engineering and the emeritus DSI/NRF SARChI Research Chair in Nuclear Engineering at the North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. He obtained a B.Eng. (Hons.)(Civil) and a M.Eng. (Civil) from the University of Stellenbosch and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. He has published more than 100 papers in international and national journals and conference proceedings and was the co editor of the proceedings of two conferences. He is a registered professional engineer with practical experience in the fields of civil, mechanical, chemical, metallurgical, and nuclear engineering and focuses on the numerical modeling of thermal-fluid processes. He is a partner of the commercial engineering software development and consulting firm M-Tech Industrial which develops and markets the system CFD code Flownex. His current interests are the development of advanced thermal-fluid simulation models for high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors and associated cooling systems using a systems CFD approach. He has been a senior technical consultant for the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) project. Along with his colleagues, he has made contributions to the influence of the packing structure of pebble bed on the thermal-hydraulic phenomena, as well as the interaction between the reactor unit and the reactor cavity cooling system for pebble bed reactor and prismatic block reactor-based systems.

Steeve CHUNG KIM YUEN has worked in the field of structural impact for the past thirty years on various projects ranging from investigating the batting performance of cricket players to the response of “simple” structures to blast loads (5g to 26tons of explosives). His research involves a mix of material characterisation, experimental work, and finite element simulations and focuses on the survivability of the structures. Full-scale experiments are costly and limited. He has, therefore, focussed on small-scale testing investigating different blast loading scenarios which can result in the structure mitigating the high pressure or fragment damage after material failure. Recently he has worked on numerous projects studying the response of structures to blast load with focus on the effect of incorporating foreign objects in the explosive to simulate improvised explosive devices (IED) because of their increased use in conflicts. He has also considered the effects of buried and encased explosives which are associated with landmines, and confined blasts on different types of structures in an urban setting. The work carried out by Steeve is geared towards minimising life-changing injuries and saving lives.
Reserve Your Spot
More about Stellenbosch
- Stellenbosch is about a 45-minute drive from Cape Town International Airport and about an hour’s drive from Cape Town.
- The town is easily accessible from the N1 and N2 highways.
- Stellenbosch is the second oldest town in South Africa and is situated in the heart of the Cape Winelands.
- Main attractions include the Stellenbosch Wine Route, historic buildings, museums, art galleries, mountains and nearby beaches for surfing, hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, etc.
- There are an abundance of luxury guest houses, self-catering accommodation, and hotels in town and the surrounding wine estates
For international travellers
January is summer in South Africa, and the conference date falls at the end of the holiday season.
Most international visitors to South Africa will require a visa. For more information, click here.
You can find the latest Covid-19 restrictions for international visitors to South Africa here.

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