Cementitious materials are the foundation of modern civil engineering infrastructure. As design standards evolve and demands for longevity and sustainability grow, a deep understanding of their fracture, damage, and failure mechanisms becomes increasingly crucial. This symposium seeks to offer a focused yet comprehensive overview of current advances and future directions in the mechanics of cement-based materials. We welcome contributions on the following topics: 1. Fundamentals of Fracture Mechanics Explore stress and strain relationships, crack initiation and propagation, Griffith’s criterion, and practical approaches for determining fracture toughness in cementitious systems. 2. Damage Mechanics and Material Heterogeneity Clarify the distinction between damage and fracture. Examine the initiation and growth of microcracks, the impact of heterogeneity, and the role of aggregates and fibers in damage development. 3. Multi-Scale and Numerical Modeling Bridge the gap from microstructural behavior to macroscopic performance. Highlight advanced modeling techniques including finite element (FEM) and discrete element methods (DEM), with an emphasis on capturing inhomogeneities. 4. Durability under Environmental Stressors Investigate the long-term effects of mechanical loading and environmental factors such as freeze-thaw cycles, moisture ingress, and chemical attack. Present mitigation strategies and design implications. 5. Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (FRC) Analyze the mechanics and performance of FRC under various loading conditions. Discuss different types of fibers (e.g., steel, polymer, glass) and their contribution to strength, ductility, and crack control. 6. Self-Healing Cementitious Systems Introduce emerging technologies in self-healing, from autogenous recovery to biological methods. Explore their potential to enhance service life and resilience of concrete structures. 7. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and Monitoring Emphasize the importance of early damage detection. Present advanced NDT techniques and their integration with predictive maintenance and structural health monitoring frameworks.