Rocscience International Conference 2027
The Rocscience International Conference 2027 (RIC2027) will bring together engineers, researchers, and industry leaders in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from April 18 to 20, 2027, for three days of learning, inspiration, and connection. Guided by the theme “Faster. Deeper. Smarter. Geotechnics, Structures & Hydro in the Age of AI,” the conference will explore how intelligent tools and integrated workflows are reshaping everything from underground spaces and complex structures to water and climate challenges. Through engaging talks, panels, and case studies, our community will see how teams around the world are using next-generation software and AI to work more efficiently and confidently across the full project lifecycle.
RIC2027 is also about community and discourse, creating space for meaningful conversations across geotechnical, structural, mining, and hydro disciplines in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Set against the energy and beauty of Rio’s coastline, the conference will offer plenty of opportunities to reconnect with familiar faces, meet new collaborators, and exchange ideas that challenge assumptions and spark fresh thinking. Whether your focus is infrastructure, mining, water, or research, you’ll leave RIC2027 with new perspectives, practical ideas to bring back to your team, and a renewed excitement for what’s possible in the age of AI.
Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
Rocscience is proud to announce Dr. Sergio Fontoura as the recipient of the Rocscience International Conference 2027 Lifetime Achievement Medal. A leading figure in rock mechanics and petroleum geomechanics, Dr. Fontoura earned his Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Alberta in 1980 before returning to Brazil to join the Department of Civil Engineering at PUC-Rio. Over more than four decades, he has combined academic excellence with international collaboration, serving as a visiting scholar at Kyoto University and a visiting professor at the University of Toronto, while founding the Group of Technology in Energy and Petroleum at PUC-Rio to advance deepwater petroleum geomechanics research in partnership with Brazilian operators.
Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Fontoura has supervised more than 100 MSc and PhD students, authored over 120 scientific papers, and advised on major engineering projects and legal cases involving rock mechanics and petroleum engineering structures. His leadership in the Brazilian and international rock mechanics communities includes presidencies of the Brazilian Tunneling and Rock Mechanics Committees, extensive service within ISRM commissions, and roles as ISRM Vice-President for South America, Chair of the 14th ISRM Congress, ISRM Fellow, Milton Vargas Lecturer, and now President of ISRM for the 2027–2031 term. In recognizing Dr. Fontoura with the Lifetime Achievement Medal, RIC2027 honours not only his technical contributions, but also his lasting impact on generations of engineers and the global geomechanics community.
Abstract Submission
GENERAL TOPICS
- Rock mass characterization
- Soil properties and characterization
- Discrete fracture network (DFN) modelling and applications
- Hydrogeology in mining and civil geotechnical engineering
- Coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) modelling
- In-situ stress measurement and estimation
- Advances in constitutive modelling and numerical methods in rock mechanics
- Probabilistic and reliability methods
- Innovations in laboratory and field testing
- Advances in imaging and emerging technologies
- Advances in 3D excavation modelling
- AI-driven modelling, data interpretation, and digital twins in geotechnical engineering
- Geological, structural, and geostatistical modeling for geotechnical applications
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning in geological modeling for geotechnical characterization
MINING
- Stability modelling of underground mine excavations
- Open pit slope stability analysis
- Stability analysis of tailings storage facilities and embankments
- Ground support innovations in mining
- Advances in rock blasting and fragmentation technologies
- Rock mass and excavation response to seismic events and dynamic loading
- Seismic and microseismic monitoring and interpretation
- AI applications in mine design optimization, hazard prediction, and monitoring
- Geological, structural, and geostatistical modeling for geotechnical applications
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning in geological modeling for geotechnical characterization
CIVIL
- Soil mechanics
- Soil improvement techniques
- Civil rock mechanics
- Soil–structure interaction
- Slope stability, dams, and embankments
- Advances in mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) and reinforced wall design
- Shallow and deep foundation analysis and design
- Tunnelling and underground construction
- Liquefaction analysis and mitigation
- AI applications in infrastructure design, risk assessment, and performance monitoring
HYDRO & STRUCTURES
- Groundwater flow modelling and hydrogeological processes
- Integrated surface–subsurface hydrological modelling
- Coupled hydro-mechanical and hydro-structural interactions
- Seepage analysis for dams, levees, and tailings facilities
- Structural analysis of geotechnical systems
- Numerical modelling of soil–structure and rock–structure systems
- Performance and durability of geotechnical structures
- Advanced foundation–structure interaction modelling
- Reservoir–geomechanics interaction and environmental impacts
- Rock–fluid interaction modelling
- Multi-physics modelling in geotechnical and structural system
Evert Hoek Legacy Medal
The Rocscience International Conference 2027 proudly continues the tradition of the Evert Hoek Legacy Medal. Established in 2025 in honour of Dr. Evert Hoek’s groundbreaking contributions to rock engineering and his long-standing relationship with Rocscience, this medal recognizes the innovative spirit, rigorous scholarship, and practical impact that defined his career.
At RIC2027, the Evert Hoek Legacy Medal will be awarded to the author of the most outstanding paper presented at the conference, selected by an expert panel for its originality, technical excellence, and contribution to engineering practice and knowledge. All papers submitted to the Rocscience International Conference are eligible for consideration, and the winning contribution will receive the Evert Hoek Legacy Medal along with a cash prize.
Publication Guidelines
All submitted papers must be written in English and presented in English.
Authors must ensure that their submitted papers for RIC2027 have not been accepted for another conference or published previously. Papers must also not be duplicates of previously published manuscripts. (Duplicates refer to papers that significantly overlap with already published manuscripts.)
All papers must be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word through the conference portal.
Every paper must:
- Include the title of the work, abstract, authors' names, affiliations, and e-mail addresses
- Follow conventions outlined in the paper template, including paragraphing, sections, sub-sections and referencing formats, use of italics, and labelling of figures and drawings
- Drawings and their labelling must be legible
- Not be more than 7 pages in length (10 including references)
Timelines
Last day for abstract submission - July 31, 2026
Announcement of Accepted Abstracts - August 31, 2026
Last day for paper submission - December 31, 2026
Announcement of Accepted Papers - January 31, 2027
Ethics
Authors of RIC2027 papers must correctly attribute knowledge or information from the works of other researchers. They must adhere to widely accepted ethical standards on identifying sources to protect against plagiarism. Authors must also disclose data sources, outline how they collected the data for their conference paper and adhere to recognized ethical research practices.
Authors must list research funding sources in their papers, including direct and indirect financial support and in-kind support. These sources may be listed under an 'Acknowledgments' section or appropriately identified in the main text.
Should reviewers seek clarification on matters such as originality or data sources, authors must promptly provide the required responses.
Review Process
RIC2027 will ensure that experts with relevant expertise review papers. The conference's reviewers will carefully read papers, treat authors fairly and provide constructive feedback. They will consider papers as confidential information and keep their identity from authors. If reviewers need clarification about any aspects or have a conflict of interest, they will immediately consult with the conference chairs.
Venue
Grand Hyatt Rio de Janeiro
Av. Lúcio Costa, 9600 - Barra da Tijuca
Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 22795-007
Brazil
Conference Chairs
General Chair
Thamer Yacoub
CEO & President
Rocscience
Technical Chair
Reginald Hammah
Director of Rocscience in Africa
Rocscience
Technical Chair
Alison McQuillan
Director of Rocscience in Australia
Rocscience
Technical Chair
Alireza Azami
Director of Research
Rocscience
Technical Chair
Sina Javankhoshdel
Senior Manager - LEM
Rocscience