The 15th International Congress on Rock Mechanics and the 2023 ISRM Annual Conference Held in Austria

From October 9 to 14, 2023, the 15th International Congress on Rock Mechanics was held in Salzburg, Austria. The conference was attended by more than 1,500 experts, scholars, and engineering professionals from 51 countries and regions, including China, the United States, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and South Africa. Among them, there were 103 registered representatives from China, accounting for 7% of the total. Out of the 503 papers included in the conference proceedings, 87 were from China, representing 18%. Of the 213 academic presentations, 15 were given by Chinese representatives, making up 7%. Additionally, there were 159 posters, with 30 from Chinese representatives, accounting for 19%. Academician He Manchao, President of the Chinese National Group and the ISRM, and Vice President Academician Zhu Hehua led the Chinese delegation to participate in the conference.
On the afternoon of October 10, the ISRM 2023 Board Meeting was held, with 51 out of 60 national groups in attendance. The Chinese National Group was represented by President Academician He Manchao, ISRM Vice President Professor Yang Qiang, and former ISRM President Academician Feng Xiating. The meeting was chaired by ISRM President Resat Ulusay, and nine vice presidents and the secretary-general presented their work reports for the 2019-2023 term. Professor Yang Qiang delivered reports as both vice president and chairman of the Education Foundation, highlighting the work and achievements of the current term, especially the contributions of the Chinese National Group to the ISRM, noting that Chinese international members make up 30% of the total. The board meeting also reviewed important matters and conducted the election of the new board (2019-2023 term). The winners of the 2023 awards were announced, with China receiving multiple honors.

The opening ceremony on the morning of October 11 was chaired by ISRM President Professor Resat Ulusay, during which the 2023 Rocha Medal and Müller Award were presented. These prestigious awards in the field of rock mechanics recognize outstanding contributions in fundamental research and engineering applications. Associate Professor Zhao Jun from Northeastern University received the Rocha Medal for his unique and in-depth research and was invited to deliver a keynote speech at the main conference on "Time-dependent Failure Characteristics and Mechanism of Hard Rock in Deep Engineering." At the closing ceremony on the afternoon of October 13, the Chinese National Group was awarded the ISRM Best National Group Award. This award, given biennially, marks the fourth consecutive win for China following victories in 2015, 2017, and 2019, demonstrating China's sustained excellence. Additionally, the ISRM Commission on Discontinuous Deformation Analysis, led by Chairmen Jiao Yuyong and Zhao Gaofeng, won the Outstanding Commission Award, given every four years. The team from Shandong University received the ISRM Technology Innovation Award for their achievements in catastrophic experiment methods and simulation techniques in rock mechanics and engineering. Professor Wang Qi from China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing) won the ISRM Young Rock Engineer Award. The announcement of Professor Zhang Fengshou from Tongji University as the ISRM Vice President at Large for Asia was also made, signifying the growing international recognition of Chinese contributions to rock mechanics. Several international commissions held special meetings from October 10 to 13. Academician He Manchao chaired the Rockburst Commission meeting, Academician Zhu Hehua chaired the JIC2 Technical Commission meeting, Professor Sun Xiaoming chaired the Soft Rock Commission meeting, and Professor Wang Ju chaired the Nuclear Waste Disposal Commission meeting. These meetings provided platforms for in-depth discussions on technical challenges and significant discoveries in their respective fields.

This year's International Congress on Rock Mechanics saw a large number of attendees and extensive participation from Chinese representatives, who contributed a significant number of high-quality papers and presentations. China continues to excel in international organizations, having won the ISRM Best National Group honor for the fourth time (out of five total awards). Chinese individual membership remains the largest, and Tongji University’s Professor Zhang Fengshou serves as Vice President at Large of the ISRM. The Chinese delegation showcased the latest achievements and progress in rock mechanics, engaged in active and comprehensive exchanges with international peers, and strengthened friendships with representatives from various countries.