Since the 1990s, with the rapid development of the national economy, under the banner of rejuvenating China and a comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable Scientific Outlook on Development, the scale and quality of engineering construction have been required to increase at an unprecedented speed. The world has attracted worldwide attention, and the highest standard project in the world has been completed again on the homeland of China; Based on the long evolution history and complex dynamic process of Chinese mainland, the diversity and global representation of geotechnical engineering environment have been created, which provides a rare development space for theoretical innovation and engineering contribution of rock mechanics and engineering. Therefore, in the practice of engineering construction, rock mechanics is facing severe challenges, especially how to ensure the harmony and friendship between rock engineering and environment, and ensure the durability and environmental safety of the project. For example, the development of huge hydropower resources in southwest China, long-distance inter-basin water transfer projects, traffic trunk lines and energy transportation that run through the north and south and cross the east and west, projects and their high slopes, and deep-buried long tunnels; Development of deep underground resources and mine safety: development of marine resources; Development and utilization of urban underground space; A series of complex and difficult geological and rock engineering problems, such as underground disposal of high-level radioactive nuclear waste, all expect rock mechanics workers to provide scientific and technological support.
Based on the interdisciplinary and marginal nature of this new discipline, its natural science attribute and powerful social function, its value lies in realizing the unity of social, economic and environmental benefits of engineering construction. This determines that the rock mechanics and engineering society has the characteristics of both science society and engineering society, so it is necessary to strengthen the communication and exchange between multidisciplinary scholars and improve the discipline construction; More importantly, it is necessary to promote collaborative research in Industry-University-Research and solve practical engineering problems. The Society of Rock Mechanics and Engineering has made great progress since its establishment. Its membership has grown from more than 2,000 at the time of its establishment to more than15,000, which is about twice the total membership of the International Society of Rock Mechanics. In addition, in civil engineering, construction, water conservancy, coal, railway and other associations, according to the characteristics of the industry, there are also professional committees for rock mechanics. Thanks to the efforts of successive directors, such as Chen Zongji, Pan, Wang Sijing, etc., the Society has received the active participation and support of the majority of scientific and technological workers, carried out fruitful academic exchanges at home and abroad around the development of disciplines and engineering contributions, and provided extensive consultation and technical support for major engineering construction projects. It has gone through an unforgettable 20 years for scientific and technological workers in rock mechanics, geotechnical engineering and related majors.
In the past two years, the institute has focused on reform, organized meetings around democracy, and promoted the cooperation of multidisciplinary experts to improve its innovation ability. Establish and improve the membership system; Standardize the work of the society, actively carry out democratic decision-making and democratic management, and create a new situation in the work of the society. China has established the image of a great country in rock mechanics research and rock engineering in the world, and its international status and influence have been further enhanced. In China, how to organize various academic activities according to this emerging interdisciplinary nature and the needs of engineering construction and scientific problems, and constantly improve the quality and level of academic exchanges. Give full play to the role of the society, serve the scientific and technological workers, effectively enhance the attraction and cohesion to the vast number of scientific and technological workers, enhance collaborative research, improve innovation ability, and truly become the home of scientific and technological workers.