Journal profile · Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering
ISSN 0723-2632 · eISSN 1434-453X · Springer Vienna · AUSTRIA · Monthly · Founded 1969
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering: CAS Zone 1 · Engineering (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 7.02; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,990; median 178 days to acceptance (144 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 853 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering is published by Springer Vienna and is in Zone 1 of Engineering in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Rock Mechanics and Modeling, Landslides and related hazards and Drilling and Well Engineering, together about 45% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering publishes original, innovative research on experimental and theoretical aspects of rock mechanics, including laboratory and field testing, computational methods, design principles and site investigation. Coverage also includes case histories on design and construction of structures in rock and review papers if they significantly contribute to the state of knowledge and practice in rock mechanics and rock engineering. The journal maintains the strong link between engineering geology and rock engineering. It provides a bridge between fundamental developments and practical applications such as underground openings, large dam foundations, rock slopes. Specific topics also include but are not restricted to energy related rock mechanics, petroleum engineering, geothermal systems, underground energy storage, greenhouse gas sequestration, and waste disposal.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Editor-in-chief Jean Sulem ÉcolePublisher website
Editorial board by country: 20 in mainland China (about 19%); most named Mainland China 20, United States 18, Italy 8, Australia 8, France 7 (104 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Rock Mechanics and ModelingEngineering27%
- Landslides and related hazardsEnvironmental Science9.5%
- Drilling and Well EngineeringEngineering8.5%
- Tunneling and Rock MechanicsEngineering7.3%
- Geotechnical Engineering and AnalysisEngineering5.9%
- Hydraulic Fracturing and Reservoir AnalysisEngineering5.9%
- Geotechnical and Geomechanical EngineeringEngineering4.5%
- Geophysical Methods and ApplicationsEngineering4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Engineering Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Geosciences, Multidisciplinary | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Engineering, Geological | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Engineering Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Engineering, Geological | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Geosciences, Multidisciplinary | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Engineering Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Geosciences, Multidisciplinary | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Engineering, Geological | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
EI CompendexINSPECGeoRefCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Astrophysics Data System, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS, Semantic Scholar
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 7.02LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 7.1Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 8Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 11.6LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.8LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 2.07LetPub ·
- h-index
- 69LetPub ·
- h-index
- 178OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 4,170OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 6.29OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 12.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 13.65%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 838LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 1,700,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 6,900 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 744 | 82 | 404 |
| 2025 | 853 | 131 | 4,356 |
| 2024 | 642 | 122 | 9,321 |
| 2023 | 492 | 88 | 10,274 |
| 2022 | 476 | 89 | 14,631 |
| 2021 | 396 | 95 | 13,276 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
178 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 141 days – 249 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 22 days (144 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 210 days
- Sample
- 144 articles with submission and acceptance dates (1,763 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 2.3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 18 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer review, Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,990 / EUR 2,990 / GBP 2,590 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Highlights
- Required
Article types accepted9, with length limits
- case studyOriginal Paper: Original research article presenting novel developments and case studies in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering. Start your article with Highlig…Length not stated
- discussionsDiscussions: are invited on Papers and Technical Notes published in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering.Length not stated
- editorialSingle-blind peer review This journal follows a single-blind reviewing procedure. This journal also publishes special/guest-edited issues. The peer review proce…Length not stated
- full research articleOriginal Paper: Original research article presenting novel developments and case studies in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering. Start your article with Highlig…Length not stated
- original paperOriginal Paper: Original research article presenting novel developments and case studies in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering. Start your article with Highlig…Length not stated
- original research articleOriginal Paper: Original research article presenting novel developments and case studies in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering. Start your article with Highlig…Length not stated
- research articleOriginal Paper: Original research article presenting novel developments and case studies in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering. Start your article with Highlig…Length not stated
- technical noteOriginal Paper: Original research article presenting novel developments and case studies in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering. Start your article with Highlig…main text ≤ 3,000 words
- technical notesTechnical Notes: A technical note is a short research article.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Author Contributions
Authors are required to include a statement in the manuscript that specifies the contribution of every author to the research and preparation of the manuscript. The statement should follow the CRediT author system: https://credit.niso.org/ Example statement: Author Name 1: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – Original DraftAuthor Name 2: Data Curation, Formal Analysis, VisualizationAuthor Nam…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Single-blind peer review
This journal follows a single-blind reviewing procedure. This journal also publishes special/guest-edited issues. The peer review process for these articles is the same as the peer review process of the journal in general. Additionally, if a guest editor authors an article in their issue/collection, they will not handle the peer review process.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprint policy
Preprint sharing allowed per Springer policy. Model summary
Preprint sharing is allowed for this journal in accordance to Springer’s preprint policy: https://www.springer.com/gp/editorial-policies/preprint-sharing/ Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Vienna
- Country or region
- AUSTRIA
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1969
- ISSN
- 0723-2632
- Electronic ISSN
- 1434-453X
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 59, Issue 8 (August 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering
What CAS zone is Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering is in Zone 1 of Engineering, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Geosciences, Multidisciplinary / Engineering, Geological; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Engineering. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 7.02; CiteScore 11.6, h-index 178.
How long does peer review take at Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering?
Based on the dates recorded on 144 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 178 days (interquartile range 141–249 days); authors report an average review time of about 2.3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Author–date; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Highlights: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering based?
Of the 104 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 20 (about 19%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (20), United States (18) and Italy (8). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists EI Compendex, INSPEC, GeoRef and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering open access, and what is the APC?
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,990.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .