ABSTRACT
The early traces of rock mechanics and rock engineering may be associated with archeological remains left by ancient peoples, such as Hattis, Sumerians, Egyptians, Hittites, Persians, Romans, and Native Americans. The International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM) has defined rock mechanics as the theoretical and applied science of the mechanical behavior of rock and rock masses; it is that branch of mechanics concerned with the response of rock and rock masses to the force fields of their physical environment. The ISRM was founded in Salzburg in 1962 as a result of the enlargement of the so-called Salzburger Kreis. Rock mechanics is concerned with the theoretical and applied science of the mechanical behavior of rock and rock masses, and it is one of the branches of mechanics concerned with the response of rock and rock masses to their physical-chemical environment. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
