CONFERENCES

The 8th North American Masonry Conference was held June 6-9, 1999 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel by the shores of Town Lake in Austin, Texas. It was sponsored by TMS and related masonry industry organizations, and hosted by The University of Texas at Austin. It was attended by more than 220 architects, engineers and constructors from North America and around the world. TMS appreciates the many efforts of those in the masonry community who helped to make the Conference a success.

The Conference was dedicated to advancing masonry engineering, architecture and construction. The Conference included a wide range of technical papers, challenging panel discussions, and thought-provoking breakout sessions on issues facing the masonry technical community today -- how to handle complex interactions between architecture and engineering; how to use masonry effectively in areas such as affordable housing; and how to ensure that there will be masons to build the projects of tomorrow.

In addition to technical presentations, attendees saw exhibits and demonstrations of how to do details correctly. Social events included the opening reception, a fajita dinner followed by a trip to Esther’s Follies (a local comedy troupe), and a memorable banquet. Throughout the Conference, students from The University of Texas led participants on tours of the Ferguson Structural Engineering Laboratory. Immediately after the Conference, participants toured US Brick’s new Elgin plant, the most modern in the United States.

Accompanying guest tours included a trip to the picturesque hill country west of Austin, and a choice between one of the country’s most extensive outlet malls and a tour of historic small towns south of Austin.

The Proceedings were published in searchable CD-ROM format, and are also available in hard-copy form.