ISRM classification
Encyclopedia
The International Society for Rock Mechanics - ISRM was founded in Salzburg
in 1962 as a result of the enlargement of the "Salzburger Kreis". Its foundation is mainly owed to Prof. Leopold Müller
who acted as President of the Society till September 1966. The ISRM is a non-profit
scientific association supported by the fees of the members and grants that do not impair its free action. In 2011 the Society has over 6,300 members and 47 National Groups.
The field of Rock Mechanics
is taken to include all studies relative to the physical and mechanical behaviour of rocks
and rock masses and the applications of this knowledge for the better understanding of geological processes and in the fields of Engineering
.
The main objectives and purposes of the Society are:
The main activities carried out by the Society in order to achieve its objectives are:
The Society is ruled by a Council, consisting of representatives of the National Groups, the Board and the Past Presidents. The current President is Prof. John A. Hudson, from United Kingdom
.
The ISRM Secretariat has been headquartered in Lisbon
, Portugal
, at the Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil - LNEC since 1966, date of the first ISRM Congress, when Prof. Manuel Rocha was elected as President of the Society.
Details of the Society can be obtained from its website at www.isrm.net
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
in 1962 as a result of the enlargement of the "Salzburger Kreis". Its foundation is mainly owed to Prof. Leopold Müller
Leopold Müller
Leopold Müller was one of the pioneers of rock mechanics and one of the main contributors to the development of the New Austrian Tunnelling method....
who acted as President of the Society till September 1966. The ISRM is a non-profit
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
scientific association supported by the fees of the members and grants that do not impair its free action. In 2011 the Society has over 6,300 members and 47 National Groups.
The field of Rock Mechanics
Rock mechanics
Rock mechanics is the theoretical and applied science of the mechanical behaviour of rock and rock masses;also compared to the geology, it is that branch of mechanics concerned with the response of rock and rock masses to the force fields of their physical environment.Rock mechanics itself forms...
is taken to include all studies relative to the physical and mechanical behaviour of rocks
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
and rock masses and the applications of this knowledge for the better understanding of geological processes and in the fields of Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
.
The main objectives and purposes of the Society are:
- to encourage international collaboration and exchange of ideas and information between Rock Mechanics practitioners;
- to encourage teaching, research, and advancement of knowledge in Rock Mechanics;
- to promote high standards of professional practice among rock engineers so that civilCivil engineeringCivil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
, miningMiningMining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
and petroleum engineeringPetroleum engineeringPetroleum engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the activities related to the production of hydrocarbons, which can be either crude oil or natural gas. Subsurface activities are deemed to fall within the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry, which are the activities of...
works might be safer, more economic and less disruptive to the environment.
The main activities carried out by the Society in order to achieve its objectives are:
- to hold International Congresses at intervals of four years;
- to sponsor International and Regional Symposia, organised by the National Groups the Society;
- to publish a News Journal to provide information about technology related to Rock Mechanics and up-to-date news on activities being carried out in the Rock Mechanics community;
- to operate Commissions for studying scientific and technical matters of concern to the Society;
- to award the Rocha medal for an outstanding doctoral thesis, every year, and the Müller award in recognition of distinguished contributions to the profession of Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, once every four years;
- to cooperate with other international scientific associations.
The Society is ruled by a Council, consisting of representatives of the National Groups, the Board and the Past Presidents. The current President is Prof. John A. Hudson, from United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The ISRM Secretariat has been headquartered in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, at the Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil - LNEC since 1966, date of the first ISRM Congress, when Prof. Manuel Rocha was elected as President of the Society.
Details of the Society can be obtained from its website at www.isrm.net