Welcome to ISRM 2007 
An invitation to Lisbon
The Second Half-Century of Rock Mechanics
The Sociedade Portuguesa de Geotecnia (SPG), the Portuguese National Group of the ISRM, will host the 11th ISRM Congress, to be held in Lisbon, 2007 July.

In the past 50 years, Rock Mechanics has established itself as a recognized subject in Geotechnical Engineering. Now, 40 years later, and at the same location where the 1st ISRM Congress was held, SPG proposes to review the evolution of Rock Mechanics, and to define new perspectives and developments in Rock Engineering.

In order to widen the contribution of all participants, the Congress format shall comprise parallel sessions and workshops, so that as many as possible papers may be orally presented. State-of-the-art presentations of technological developments shall also be featured. It is foreseen that all abstracts shall be accessible in advance, in an especially devoted web site, so that fruitful discussions may be maintained during the Congress.

The Congress shall have several themes of general interest, presented by invited keynote lecturers, with presentation and discussion of selected papers in plenary sessions; international workshops in Madrid, Spain and Ponta Delgada (Azores), Portugal, focusing new and developing subjects; a technical exhibition; short courses; specialized sessions organized by the ISRM Commissions and ISRM NGs; and a selection of one-day field trips. The recent increase in underground works in Portugal will certainly provide a wide range of choices for a pleasant journey.