Annual Meeting

“Rubber Materials Supporting Social Infrastructure”

Rubber materials with diverse functions such as durability, flexibility, and vibration damping are indispensable for infrastructure structures that support societal safety and security. In fields like bridges, tunnels, water supply and sewage systems, railways, and roads, rubber contributes to extending structural lifespans, disaster countermeasures, and improved maintainability. This theme invites broad discussion on the wide-ranging technologies, design and evaluation methods, and sustainability initiatives for rubber materials supporting infrastructure—from fundamentals to applications. We look forward to presentations of research outcomes that contribute to solving societal challenges.

“The Role of Rubber Technology in a Circular Economy,”

In pursuit of a sustainable society, where efficient resource utilization and waste reduction are essential, rubber technology plays a vital role in building a circular economy. Diverse initiatives contributing to reduced environmental impact are advancing, including the use of recycled rubber, material recycling of waste tires, introduction of biomass-derived raw materials, reutilization technologies for vulcanized rubber, and product designs for extended longevity. Furthermore, visualizing environmental performance through assessments like LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) and carbon footprint evaluation is gaining attention. This theme broadly invites submissions of research results—from fundamental to applied studies—covering technological innovations and societal implementation across the entire life cycle of rubber materials and products.