Rock dynamics has become one of the most important topics in the field of rock mechanics and rock engineering (e.g. Aydan et al., 2011; Aydan, 2016; Zhou and Jiao, 2011). The spectrum of rock dynamics is very wide and it includes, the failure of rocks, rock masses and rock engineering structures such as rockbursting, spalling, popping, collapse, toppling, sliding, blasting, non-destructive testing, geophysical explorations, and, impacts (see Figure 1.1). <...>

This book is a peer-reviewed and edited volume that contains keynote lectures and extended abstracts of papers that were received for EUROCK 2014 – The 2014 ISRM European Symposium, which will be held in the city of Vigo SPAIN on 27–29 May, 2014.

The International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM) has entrusted the Croatian Geotechnical Society with the organization of the EUROCK 2009 ISRM Regional Symposium. It is a continuation of the successful series of regional ISRM symposia for Europe, which began in 1992 in Chester, UK, and will be continued next year with the 14th symposium to be held in Lausanne, Switzerland. <...>

In rock engineering, stress waves can be caused by rock drilling, rock blasting, mining-induced seismicity, and other dynamic events. By means of stress wave theory, we can improve the quality and productivity of current rock drilling, rock blasting, and mining production; reduce natural resource loss in mining; improve fieldwork safety; and reduce the damage to the environment caused by blasting. This chapter will in brief introduce one-dimensional stress waves developed by a number of great pioneers such as Stokes, Poisson, Rayleigh, Kelvin, and others. Stress wave theory in more detail can be found in other books [1–3]. <...>