Beginning in 1952, five Australia-New Zealand Conferences on Soil Mechanics and Foundation have been held. The First Australia-New Zealand Conference on Geomechanics continues the series, but its scope has been extended to include both soil and rock mechanics. It is sponsored by the Australian Geomechanics Society which was formed in January 1970 as a Technical Unit of The Institution of Engineers, Australia. The New Zealand Institution of Engineers and the New Zealand National Society of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering are also sponsors.
Volume 1 contains papers presented at the Technical Sessions of the Conference. Volume 2 of the proceedings contains the General Reporters’ reviews of the papers, the discussion of the papers, the Conference Keynote Address and the addresses to the Symposium on “Geomechanics – a tool in National Development”.