Based on great progress in computing technology, whether in computer or programming technology, computation has become one of the most powerful tools for researchers and practicing engineers. It has led to tremendous achievements in computer-based structural engineering and there is evidence that this tendency will be accelerated. To acknowledge this trend, the Institute of Underground Engineering, Tongji University, and the Institute for Mechanics of Materials and Structures, Vienna University of Technology, will co-organize an International Symposium on Computational Structural Engineering in Shanghai, 22-24 June 2009, abbreviated as CSE 09. Shanghai is a metropolitan city not only for her charming culture, but also for the fascinating structures that shape the theme of a megacity with architectures ranging from traditional streets and houses to modern high-rise buildings and infrastructures. There will be more new ones to sprout with the landing of Expo’2010, Shanghai. Needless to say, it is hard to imagine this without the support of computational structural engineering. In recent years, concepts of simulation of structural behavior, virtual reality, super-computing, and intelligence approaches reinforced the impact on processes of design, construction, and maintenance of structures. CSE 09 aims at providing a forum for scientists, developers, and engineers to review novel research findings, to assess the suitability of new models, and to evaluate the robustness of advanced computational methods for investigation of the life-cycle of a structure.