This symposium is aimed to promote collaboration and meetings between scholars, professional engineers and the industrial demands of the Asian region, where projects for rock mechanics are very flourishing. Lots of new techniques, theories and case histories on tunnels, underground chambers, mine stopes, nuclear waste disposal repositories and other underground spaces are introduced. The 160 technical papers are focused on the environmental and safety aspects in the design and construction of underground rock structures. Topics: Heat, gas and water flow, and contaminant transport problems in waste disposal; Heat, gas and water flow, and contaminant transport problems in caverns and tunnels; Blasting and machine excavation; Subsidence and ground control; Questions and measures for safety in the design and construction of tunnels; Questions and measures for safety in the design and construction of caverns and openings; Modelling techniques for safety evaluation: Rock characterization; Evaluation of rock mass properties; Simulation of the coupled behavior; Monitoring & interpretation Back analysis and others; Slope stability and landslides.