The Shock and Vibration Information Analysis Center (SAVIAC) is a private organization established in 1947 for promulgating information about the testing, analysis and design of structural or mechanical systems subjected to dynamic conditions and loading such as vibration

Vibration

Vibration refers to mechanical oscillations about an equilibrium point. The oscillations may be periodic such as the motion of a pendulum or random such as the movement of a tire on a gravel road.Vibration is occasionally "desirable"...

, blast

Explosion

An explosion is a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner, usually with the generation of high temperatures and the release of gases. An explosion creates a shock wave. If the shock wave is a supersonic detonation, then the source of the blast is called a "high explosive"...

, impact, and shock

Shock (mechanics)

A mechanical or physical shock is a sudden acceleration or deceleration caused, for example, by impact, drop, kick, earthquake, or explosion. Shock is a transient physical excitation....

 for various agencies in the U. S. government including NASA

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...

, the Department of Energy

United States Department of Energy

The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...

 (DOE), and the Department of Defense

United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...

 (DOD). The organization publishes two professional journals: Shock and Vibration Journal and Critical Technologies Journal.

SAVIAC assembles and promotes a yearly symposium

Academic conference

An academic conference or symposium is a conference for researchers to present and discuss their work. Together with academic or scientific journals, conferences provide an important channel for exchange of information between researchers.-Overview:Conferences are usually composed of various...

. The annual Shock and Vibration Symposium is the leading forum for the structural dynamics and vibration community to present and discuss new developments and on-going research. The Symposium, established in 1947, includes both classified

Classified information

Classified information is sensitive information to which access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of persons. A formal security clearance is required to handle classified documents or access classified data. The clearance process requires a satisfactory background investigation...

 and unclassified sessions. The classified sessions allow critical technology and classified (up to secret level) research to be presented in closed forums of cleared

Security clearance

A security clearance is a status granted to individuals allowing them access to classified information, i.e., state secrets, or to restricted areas after completion of a thorough background check. The term "security clearance" is also sometimes used in private organizations that have a formal...

 U.S. government

Federal government of the United States

The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...

 and government contractor

Government contractor

A government contractor is a private company that produces goods or services under contract for the government. Often the terms of the contract specify cost plus – i.e., the contractor gets paid for its costs, plus a specified profit margin. Laws often require governments to award contracts...

 researchers. Topics covered at the symposium include shock-ship testing, water shock, weapons effects (air blast, ground shock, cratering, penetration

Penetration (weapons)

Strictly speaking penetration occurs when a projectile enters a target without passing through it and perforation occurs when the projectile completely passes through the target, but the word penetration is commonly used to refer to either....

), shock physics, earthquake engineering

Earthquake engineering

Earthquake engineering is the scientific field concerned with protecting society, the natural and the man-made environment from earthquakes by limiting the seismic risk to socio-economically acceptable levels...

, structural dynamics

Structural Dynamics

Structural dynamics is a subset of structural analysis which covers the behaviour of structures subjected to dynamic loading. Dynamic loads include people, wind, waves, traffic, earthquakes, and blasts. Any structure can be subject to dynamic loading. Dynamic analysis can be used to find dynamic...

, and shock and vibration instrumentation and experiment techniques. Over 200 technical papers are typically presented. Panel discussions address topics such as new software developments or accelerometer

Accelerometer

An accelerometer is a device that measures proper acceleration, also called the four-acceleration. This is not necessarily the same as the coordinate acceleration , but is rather the type of acceleration associated with the phenomenon of weight experienced by a test mass that resides in the frame...

isolation problems. Tutorials provide up-to-date technology overviews by leading specialists.