Proceedings of sessions at Geo-Denver 2000, held in Denver, Colorado, August 5-8, 2000. Sponsored by the Geo-Institute of ASCE.

This Geotechnical Special Publication (GSP 102) contains 14 papers presenting the most recent advances in rock mechanic research and practice. Given the need for better understanding of the behavior of rock masses, numerical modeling has become an invaluable tool. As computers become faster and cheaper, numerical modeling becomes a practical engineering tool rather than a tool used mainly for research. As such, it provides a bridge between laboratory experiments and field situations.

Papers in this volume illustrate the power of numerical simulations to facilitate the understanding of complex behavior or the improvement of a challenging design. The addition of case histories reinforces the notion of improving design through careful modeling. Several paper show how numerical analysis, in conjunction with the nondestructive technique of acoustic emission, produces information that can reveal actual microcracking mechanisms within rock.