International Society for Rock Mechanics


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 2012 the Society has 6,800 members and 49 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 Dr Eda Freitas de Quadros, from Brazil.
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