fib Symposium 2027: Rethinking Concrete Construction

From June 7 to 9, 2027, Dresden will become an international meeting point for the future of concrete construction. Under the theme “ReThink Concrete: Structures for a Sustainable Transformation,” the fib Symposium 2027 will bring together research, design, and construction practice. For the first time in more than 25 years, the event will once again take place in Germany. BFT International will accompany the symposium as a media partner.

How can concrete structures be designed, manufactured, used, and reused more resource-efficiently in the future? What role will new materials and reinforcement systems, digital methods, and automated manufacturing processes play? And how can existing structures remain in use for longer, or even entire components be given a second life? The range of topics at the fib Symposium 2027 shows just how far the transformation of concrete construction now extends.

Dresden as the host city is particularly fitting for the symposium’s theme, “ReThink Concrete.” The city is not only a major research hub; it has also played a key role in advancing the development of carbon-reinforced concrete. According to TU Dresden, the world’s first building constructed entirely of non-metallically reinforced concrete was also built in the city. The symposium thus brings together international developments in concrete construction at a location where new material and structural concepts have been the subject of intensive research and practical implementation for many years.

From New Materials to Reuse

The scientific program covers a correspondingly broad range of topics. The main topics include advanced materials for concrete structures, structural design, analysis and modeling, innovative construction and prefabrication, monitoring, assessment and rehabilitation, outstanding structures and projects, as well as developments of standards and guidelines. AI and digital tools and questions of safety, resilience, and sustainability are also on the agenda.

Several of the already accepted special sessions offer particularly interesting perspectives for the precast concrete industry. One session, for example, is dedicated to the reuse of complete reinforced concrete components. It will address not only the load-bearing capacity, durability, and remaining service life of used elements, but also design for disassembly, connections, deconstruction and reconditioning processes, as well as digital material passports and digital twins. This brings into focus a question that is becoming increasingly relevant for precast construction: How can concrete components not only be efficiently prefabricated, but also designed with future disassembly and reuse in mind?

Alternative reinforcement systems are also on the agenda. Sessions are planned on sustainable reinforcement materials and textile-reinforced concrete, among other topics. In the field of non-metallic reinforcement, the spectrum ranges from recycled carbon and glass fibers to natural fibers; in addition to experimental investigations, environmental and economic assessments, reuse, and practical applications will also be considered.

Precast Construction Meets Digital Manufacturing

With “Innovative Construction and Prefabrication,” prefabrication is explicitly one of the symposium’s main topics. In addition, several special sessions address material and structural issues in connection with digital manufacturing processes, automation, and quality assurance. These include additive manufacturing, automated manufacturing processes, computational design, and intelligent sensor and control concepts. A special session on “Smart Concrete Structures” combines these approaches with new methods in design, manufacturing, automation, and control.

3D concrete printing is also represented by several topics. These include reinforcement solutions for additively manufactured concrete structures as well as non-destructive testing and quality assurance. A special session on concrete towers for wind turbines provides another direct link to prefabrication, with the program description explicitly highlighting their suitability for prefabrication.

Strong international interest became apparent at an early stage: According to the organizers, around 450 abstracts and 49 proposals for special sessions had already been submitted by July 2026. Around 400 to 500 international experts are expected to attend the symposium. The event flyer announces 250 to 300 scientific lectures. The scientific program will be complemented by an exhibition, networking opportunities, and technical tours.

Research and Practice Under One Roof

The symposium is organized by Tudias GmbH in cooperation with TU Dresden, Institute of Concrete Structures, and fib – Fédération internationale du béton. The venue is the Maritim Hotel & International Congress Center Dresden, located directly on the Elbe River. A pre-conference program will take place on June 5 and 6. The main symposium begins on June 7 and runs for three days, featuring keynote lectures and parallel scientific sessions; the detailed program is scheduled to be published in spring 2027.

Dresden is therefore set to become a meeting point for the international concrete research community in June 2027. At the same time, the topics illustrate how closely the key challenges facing concrete construction are interconnected: using resources more efficiently, extending the service life of components and structures, bringing new materials into practical application, and harnessing digital technologies for design, manufacturing, and operation. Particularly at the interface between research and industrial implementation, the fib Symposium offers numerous points of connection for the precast concrete industry.