Number 23, March 1993 – Editorial and society news

The responsibility of producing Australian Geomechanics has now passed from the Western Australian Group to the Victorian Group of the AGS. The new editorial panel, on behalf of all AGS members, would like to thank our colleagues from the wild west for their efforts and congratulate them for a job well done.

While we will continue to produce issues of high quality, the change in Editorial panel will undoubtedly bring about changes in style and emphasis. We would like to think that we can put aside our parochialism and present a balanced view of geomechanics as practised in Australia.

Our main goal in producing Australian Geomechannics is to provide a news journal that is relevant, informative, interesting and at times controversial. To do this we need contributions from all members. This not only includes technical papers and state group reports, but any items that would be of interst to the geotechnical community. We would be particularly pleased to receive feedback, such as in the form of letters to the EDitor, on articles published or on anything that affects AGS members. We are happy to consider any submissions that are at all remotely related to geomechanics, including photographs, anecdotes, unsual or interesting news items, project descriptions, supporting company profiles, notices of local conferences and seminars and so on. The journal can only be as informative as the submissions we receive from you.

Following on in the tradition of the previous editorial panel, we have decided that each edition of Australian Geomechanics should have a theme. This edition focuses on geomechanics research and research institutions in Australia. By concentrating on this theme we hope to inform all AGS members of the areas of research currently being undertaken, and the special skills, equipment, expertise and post-graduate courses available, at our research institutions. The information provided is but a very brief summary of the facilities available at each institution and we urge readers to contact individual institutions for further, more detailed information. Hopefully, all AGS members, whether in consulting, contracting, Government instrumentalities (that is if any still exist) or research, wil find these summaries useful.

In compiling this information, we were astounded by the number of institutions actually involved in geomechanics research and even more so by the range of research topics, equipment and areas of expertise available.

We have endeavoured to include information on all research institutions, and if we have missed anyone, we apologise. If any institution has been missed, we would be happy to include information in the next edition of Australian Geomechanics. Contact the Editors for further information.

This edition opens with a series of three brief articles, written by three eminent Australian academics, none of whom really need an introduction. Their contributions to the AGS and to practive, science and art of geomechanics in this country are well known and greatly appreciated.

The first article is a Guest Editorial on geomechanics research in Australia by Garry Mostyn. Garry is a Senior Lecturer with the School of Civil Engineering, University of New South Wales. He is also the current Deputy Chairman of the AGS National Committee and is well known for his outpoken views on every topic ranging from affirmative action, through geomechanics to polictis. The second article is by Professor Harry Poulos, an Australian getechnical engineer with an outstanding international reputation. Harry is currentlu Chairman of the Board of Directors of Coffey Partners International Pty. Ltd., and has a part time appointment within the School of Civil Engineering at The University of Sydney. Harry’s outstanding contribution to geomechanics research is well known, and it is for this reason that he was asked to give us his thoughts on the future of geomechanics research in Australia. The final article is by another well known and outspoken Australian academic, Associate Professor Ian Johnston from the Department of Civil Engineering at Monash University. Ian has attempted to summarise the quagmire of information available on funding that is available. It is clear, that there are quite generous funding arrangements available, especially for co-operative research between industry and academia. With untied Government funding for research becoming tighter and tighter, it is essential that industry and academia get together so that our geotechnical knowledge continues to grow.

All three articles are essential reading. We hope that this issue will help to initiate a new level of co-operation between industry and academia, and result in a win-win situation for all involved.