DBMC call for papers: key dates and author submission pathways
The XIII International Conference on Building Materials and Components lands in São Paulo, opening its call for papers to academics, practising engineers, and postgraduate students across the built environment sector. For Australian authors working on cementitious composites, durability studies, or low-carbon concrete, this gathering offers a rare chance to share findings with peers from Europe, the Americas, and Asia under one roof.
Submissions follow a tight rhythm, and missing a milestone can sideline an otherwise solid contribution. Whether you are based at a university in Brisbane, consulting from a Melbourne high-rise, or running field tests in humid Darwin conditions, getting the calendar sorted early is half the battle.
About the XIII DBMC conference and why it matters
Held every three years under the banner of the RILEM technical committees, DBMC has built a reputation for rigorous peer review and practical impact. The São Paulo edition will run at a civil engineering faculty venue, drawing on Brazilian leadership in tropical-climate construction alongside global expertise.
For Australian researchers, the programme aligns neatly with national priorities around resilient infrastructure and sustainable materials. Sessions on alkali-activated binders, recycled aggregate performance, and service-life prediction under marine exposure mirror work happening at the University of New South Wales, Monash, and the Queensland University of Technology. Submission pathways suit both academic papers and industry case studies.
Critical dates authors should mark
The official timeline usually opens with abstract registration several months ahead, followed by full-paper upload windows, reviewer assignments, and final camera-ready submissions. Most accepted contributions appear in open-access proceedings indexed by Scopus, which carries weight for Australian academic promotion rounds.
Authors travelling from the eastern seaboard should also factor in the 13-hour time difference to Brasília time, since reviewer revisions and editor queries often arrive during Australian business hours. Set phone reminders for AEST deadlines rather than relying on the conference portal alone, as portal time-stamps occasionally display host-server values.
What the submission portal expects
Papers generally run between six and ten pages, formatted against a template that emphasises figures, tables, and references in a specific style. Topics span experimental characterisation, modelling, standards harmonisation, and field performance. A separate track exists for young researchers and PhD candidates, often including a poster session and a mentorship breakfast on the second morning.
Authors need to declare conflicts of interest, suggest potential reviewers, and confirm licensing terms during upload. Keep your ORCID handy, as it speeds up the metadata entry considerably. The portal also accepts supplementary datasets, particularly for thermal or hygrometric measurements that exceed the page limit.
Review, revision, and publication path
Each paper goes through at least two independent reviewers drawn from the scientific committee. Reviewers assess originality, methodological soundness, and clarity of conclusions. Australian contributors frequently appreciate the constructive tone of the process, which tends to be thorough without being combative.
Accepted manuscripts proceed to copy-editing and DOI registration before the conference opens. Post-event, selected papers are invited for extended versions in special issues of indexed journals, offering a second publication pathway that many early-career researchers find valuable.
Preparing for travel from Australia to São Paulo
Flights from Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane typically route through Dubai, Doha, or Santiago, with total travel time hovering around 24 hours including layovers. September sits in the Brazilian spring, bringing mild mornings in the low teens Celsius and afternoon peaks that can climb past 28 degrees, so pack layers for air-conditioned venues.
Australian travellers will need a visa depending on passport status, and many find the e-visa portal straightforward once invitation letters arrive. The conference website lists partner hotels near the venue, and shared shuttle options help cut costs for solo delegates keen on networking over a long lunch.
Practical recommendations for a smooth submission
- Draft your abstract two weeks ahead of the deadline and circulate it to colleagues for blunt feedback.
- Align your terminology with Australian standards where possible, then flag any differences from European or American equivalents.
- Prepare figures at 300 dpi or higher, since the template compresses lower-resolution images noticeably.
- Budget for the early-bird registration if your employer covers conference costs, as it saves roughly 15 percent.
- Keep your camera-ready file under 20 MB to avoid upload timeouts on slower regional connections.
- Save confirmation screenshots after each submission step, just in case the portal times out mid-upload.
For those still shaping their topic, exploring case studies on local materials and the tropical construction sector can sharpen a regional angle that resonates with the São Paulo audience.
| Submission track | Typical page count | Review rounds | Presentation format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full research paper | 6–10 pages | 2 | Oral, 15 minutes |
| Short communication | 4–6 pages | 1 | Oral, 10 minutes |
| Industry case study | 4–8 pages | 1 | Oral or poster |
| Young researcher paper | 4–6 pages | 2 | Poster plus lightning talk |
| Late-breaking work | 2–4 pages | 1 | Poster |
Choosing the right track depends on how complete your dataset is, how much discussion you want to spark, and whether your contribution suits a poster hallway conversation or a full auditorium slot. Australian authors often pick the full research paper track when seeking journal co-publication, while short communications work well for pilot studies still gathering steam.
Remember that the abstract deadline is the true gatekeeper, and everything else cascades from it. Block out the dates now, gather your co-authors, and treat the submission portal like a serious research tool rather than a last-minute form. A well-prepared paper, submitted on time, opens doors that a rushed one simply cannot.