My first ISRM Congress
ISRM, or International Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, was founded in Salzburg in 1962 mainly by Prof. Leopold Müller who acted as President of the Society till September 1966. 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.
In 2019 the 14th ISRM congress took place at Foz do Iguassu, Brazil, from September 13 to 18, and so I attended and presented two posters that you can find information at the Publications section:
SfM-MVS digital models applied to rock surface roughness
Slope stability assessment based on a Digital Outcrop Model: a case-study at Jardim Garcia quarry
On the same occasion I had the opportunity to take the short course “The Integration of Structural Geology and Applied Rock Mechanics” with the instruction of Dr. Nick Barton and Prof. John Cosgrove. It is hard to describe the joy I had in meeting Prof. Cosgrove in person, and then hearing from him over lunch “I have faith in you” when telling him about my PhD reserach.
In general, the technical sessions showed a tendency in the use of technologies for the characterization of rock massifs, mainly fractures: 3D printing, Photogrammetry, numerical modelling, etc. However, it is noteworthy that several invited speakers emphasized the need for fieldwork and in-depth knowledge of traditional techniques.
The next congress will be at Salzburg, Austria, in 2024. I am already planning my trip!
