This issue of Géotechnique contains a notice of a themed issue on ‘Soil mechanics at the grain scale’ and an invitation to submit abstracts. This notice is also available at www.geotechnique-ice.com.
The Géotechnique Advisory Panel has agreed to publish occasional issues in which papers are devoted to a particular theme. Themed issues have several differences from Symposia in Print. They cover a more focussed topic. They should inform readers of new and emerging developments – which, after all, is an important function of a journal – rather than give a state-of-the-art of a mature area. Themed issues will not normally be followed by discussion meetings, although written discussion of papers will be encouraged and will be published together with the author's replies, in the normal way.
This themed issue will be edited by Dr Beatrice Baudet, together with an advisory panel of experts which is a sub-committee of the Géotechnique Advisory Panel. Papers will be refereed by external referees and assessed by members of the advisory panel following the usual Géotechnique procedures.
A themed issue is a new enterprise for Géotechnique and I am grateful to Dr Baudet and her advisory panel for proposing the topic and editing the issue.
The Géotechnique Advisory Panel is willing to consider proposals for other occasional themed issues.
