Preface

Abstract

On behalf of the Japanese Committee for Rock Mechanics, we are very pleased to be able to issue the first electronic journal as International Journal of the JCRM. The overall objective to issue the electronic journal is to exchange quickly new ideas, new technologies and advanced development in problem solving in rock mechanics theory and practice, to provide an opportunity to strengthen academic relation among experts from home and abroad, thereby to promote the development of practical science covering a wide field of rock engineering. Especially, unlike general journals published, we are able to see colorful illustrations and pictures in detail through the electronic journal. The Founding Committee on Electronic Journal, JCRM was founded in 2003. The members of the committee were as follows: Yoshiaki MIZUTA, Sojo University Shunsuke SAKURAI, Construction Engineering Research Institute Foundation Tsutomu YAMAGUCHI, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Sci. & Tech. Atsuo HIRATA, Sojo University, Masaru SATO, Geoscience Research Laboratory Yoshitada MITO, Kyoto University Masashiko OSADA, Saitama University Kiyotoshi SAKAGUCHI, Tohoku University After they made all sorts of preparation for issue of the electronic journal, the committee was dissolved in 2005 and they left editorial work to the Committee on Electronic Journal, JCRM, newly founded in 2005. The chairman of the committee is Katsuhiko KANEKO, Hokkaido University. We are extremely grateful to the many people who will join us to exchange scientific information. In particular, we should like to thank everyone who submits articles as Review Paper, Issue Paper, Technical Notes, Discussion, or Others. We should like to extend our thanks to everyone who has helped in issue of the first electronic journal. We are especially indebted to Prof. J. A. HUDSON, ISRM President-elect 2007-2011, who encouraged us to create electronic journal. We can promise that you will find a great deal of useful information in the following electronic journals.