Reliable knowledge of fractured rock mass properties is required when attempting to model thermo-hydro-mechanical processes relevant to geological and geohazards applications (e.g. fractured reservoir exploitation, subsidence due to drainage, rock slope instability and related geomorphic impacts, geothermal energy exploitation, seismicity, rock engineering). Rock masses can behave as continuum or discontinuum media depending on the scale of consideration, mechanical anisotropy, and the occurrence of discrete structures (e.g. brittle fault zones). Despite recent advances in the characterization (e.g. LiDAR, digital photogrammetry) and modelling of fractured media (e.g. Discrete Fracture Networks), gathering their properties as inputs to hydro-geomechanical modelling is still a challenge. Moreover, rock mass characterization in geologically difficult conditions (e.g. heterogeneous/weak, tectonically deformed, strongly anisotropic or damaged rock masses) requires refinements of existing characterization approaches and the development of new ones.

This session invites innovative contributions from different communities on: 1) characterization of discontinuities and fractured rock masses by field, geophysical and remote sensing techniques; 2) monitoring of hydro-mechanical coupled processes in rock masses; 3) quantitative geometrical and hydro-mechanical coupled modelling of discrete and equivalent continuum rock masses (e.g. Discrete Fracture Networks, Synthetic Rock Mass, back-calculation of experimental data); 4) improved rock mass classification and parameterization methods focusing on geologically complex rock masses.