The material covered in the manuscripts published herein was subjected to public inquiry during the Japan-US Joint Seminar on Materials for Severe Service Conditions during 19-23 May 1986 at the Toranomon Pastral Guest House in Minato-Ku, Tokyo, Japan. This seminar was the latest in a series on advanced materials and applications initiated in the early 1970s by Professor T. Kanazawa of Japan and Professor A. S. Kobayashi of the United States. The 1986 seminar was organized by the undersigned with the able assistance of Professor H. Kobayashi and Dr H. Nakamura of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, and Dr K. Minakawa of the Nippon Kokan Technical Research Center. The semi­ nar was sponsored by the US National Science Foundation and by the Japan Society for Promotion of Science. This Proceedings volume is offered for its. reference value in the enhancement of the understanding of the behavior of advanced struc­ tural materials for design applications involving adverse loading con­ ditions and severe environments. During the seminar attempts were also made to extract priority issues of possible broad impact on science or technology, and to articulate possible guidelines for action plans.