CHARACTERISTICS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND PROBLEMS ON GEOMECHANICS

Geomechanics, which is a separate geological discipline, established by our China. Its background, characteristics, achievements are briefly introduced and some problems are proposed as well in this paper. Based on the influence of Geology Three Great Debates, especially for Continental Drift Theory, geomechanics is newly developed four basic characteristics include three theoretical foundations, nine basic concepts, seven research steps, and four basic viewpoints (essential, relevant, developmental, practical viewpoints).The paper discusses some outstanding achievements on the geomechanics, such as ten theoretical aspects, five technique methods, and five practice applications. Finally, some obvious problems are pointed out, for example, the geomechanics falls into "fixed theory" constraints; it refuses to go further because of not adopting new ideas; it overemphasizes the orogenic zone's long-termed succession activities to cause some great mistakes in identification of ancient tectonic periods; it imperfectly resolve some problems of deep geology and global oceanic geology. In a word, the geomechanics only emancipates the mind, advances with the times and faces to the globe could develop further.