The Key State Laboratory for Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and Safety at Tianjin University, was recently honored with the title of “National Workers Pioneer” by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) and Tianjin Municipal Trade Unions.

Founded in October 2011, the Key State Laboratory for Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and Safety has won numerous honorary awards and titles, including the “Pioneer of Tianjin Education System” in 2011, and the Second Prize in the National Scientific and Technological Progress in 2013, for making remarkable achievements in scientific and technological innovation.

Through scientific research on key technologies, the Laboratory has made a great contribution to the national economy and social development. A new research field of water conservancy and hydropower engineering construction simulation and digital dam design was formulated. More than 85% of dams with a height over 200m have been covered and benefited from the research achievements made by the Laboratory. Theoretical obstacles and technical problems of disaster-causing mechanisms and evolution law of the multi-factor coupling effects on water conservancy and hydropower project were overcome, which covered more than 70% of large hydraulic projects in China. Further, the Laboratory completed scale-construction of offshore wind power plants with high efficiency and low cost and owns more than 60 national invention patents. In the National Marine Demonstration Project, it successfully reduced construction cost by about 30% and built a production line with an annual output of about four billion yuan.

A deep-sea engineering test device, one of the Laboratory’s outstanding results, has the best test depth and scale in the world and has become an important deep sea development strategy of China. In China, 70% port and marine projects benefit from the Laboratory’s solutions of technical problems such as evaluation of foundation stability, rapid land formation of coastal areas, new designs of harbor structures and safe operation of waterways. Moreover, its invention of new structures such as a cable supported structure and a welded spherical grid structure and its development of key technology bound up with a deep foundation pit and anti-seismic safety have promoted scientific and technological development in the construction industry.

The Laboratory has world-class talent and research teams. Since its foundation, the laboratory has undertaken 917 research projects in total, obtained research funds totaling 646 million Yuan, won 9 National Science and Technology Awards (five of them ranked No. 1), and published 398 papers in SCI. “Large earthquake engineering simulation research facility” has been included in “national science and technology infrastructure” construction guide by National Development and Reform Commission and national and Tianjin supporting funds of two billion yuan will be allocated to support it. The intelligence introduction base of “Hydraulic engineering simulation and safety” is successfully set up.

The Laboratory has always adhered to the morality education, cultivating talents with patriotism, international vision, innovative spirit and practical ability, especially on the field of hydraulic engineering. Graduates from the Laboratory are highly accepted by major enterprises in hydraulic industry and are going to contribute to the grand goal of building hydraulic industry as “Chinese second name card” after high-speed rail.