The fib International PhD Symposium in Civil Engineering is an established event in the academic calendar of doctoral students. It is held under the patronage of the International Federation for Structural Concrete ( fib), one of the main international associations that disseminates knowledge about concrete and concrete structures. The 9th fib International PhD Symposium was held at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany, from July 22 to 25, 2012.