The Geotechnical Engineering Department is the oldest geotechnical research body in China, founded by Prof. Huang Wenxi, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and founder of the Chinese geotechnical science. The Department has trained a great number of famous experts and scholars, represented by Prof. Shen Zhujiang, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The Department has a total staff of 80. The administrative offices of the Rock and Soil Mechanics Committee and Geotechnical Test Committee of the Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Society, the Geotechnical Test Committee of the Chinese Civil Engineering Society and the Plastic Drainage Committee of the Harbour Engineering Branch Society of the Chinese Civil Engineering Society, and the Editorial Office of the Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering are stationed in the Department.

Test Halls and Equipment:
The Department has Geotechnical Model Test Hall, Geo-centrifugal Model Test Hall, Coarse-Grain Materials Lab, Lab for Physico-mechanical Properties of Soils, Lab for Unsaturated Soils, Lab for Soil Dynamics, Lab for Microstructure of Soils, Lab for Soil Properties Under Complex Conditions, Geosynthetics Lab, Prototype Observation Instruments Lab and Exploration Lab, etc. Facilities include geo-centrifuges of 400gt, 50gt and 5gt, robot system and test wave simulation system for geo-centrifugal model tests, PIV system for geo-centrifugal model tests, dynamic and static hollow torsional shear apparatus, electronic scanner for microstructure of soils, X-ray diffraction apparatus, multi-functional CKC triaxial compression apparatus, automatic oedometers, true triaxial appartus, resonant column test apparatus, high pressure triaxial apparatus, large-size triaxial apparatus, large-size vibrating triaxial apparatus, triaxial apparatus for unsaturated soils, large-size compression apparatus, large-size rheometer, large-size seepage apparatus, large-size direct shear apparatus, all-purpose electronic tensile test machine, Cambridge self-boring pressure meter, radars, large geophysical model test flume, CPTU vehicle-carried test system, test devices for geosynthetics, and prototype observation instruments.

Areas of Interest:
◆Fundamental theories and method of geotechnical engineering and soil mechanics;
◆Soil-structure interaction;
◆Key technology of high earth and rock-fill dams;
◆Foundation treatment and reinforcement;
◆Safety monitoring and disaster mitigation of getechnical engineering;
◆Environmental geotechnical engineering;
◆Analysis and treatment of geological and seismic disasters.

Research Missions:
The Department has undertaken many national and ministerial key research missions, including laboratory and in-situ tests, numerical analysis, design, construction, monitoring, supervision, examination and exploration, etc. The Department has developed soil strength theory, limit equilibrium extremum principle, slope steady deformation theory, and double yield surface elastoplastic model----NHRI Model. It has also forwarded a great number of research findings, including soil mass blemish theory, soil mass gradual damage theory, unsaturated soil theory, sand-soil constitutive model, sand-soil liquefaction deformation after earthquake, soil and rock immersion deformation, and slope stability in rain-rich area. The Department has conducted soft soil foundation reinforcement, and taken the lead in China in developing soft foundation reinforcement methods, such as vacuum preloading method, vibroflotation method, and dynamic consolidation method. The Department has first conducted and popularized geo-centrifugal model tests, and performed engineering optimum design and comparison studies for large-size water resources and hydropower projects such as Pubugou Dam, Xibeikou Project, Heizi Project, Yangmaowan Project, Xiaogangou Project, Yangtze River Esturay, Yangshan Harbour, Caofeidian Development Project, Yanshan Reservoir, and Sutong Yangtze River Bridge. The Department has undertaken key researches on concrete-face rock-fill dams, ash-retention dams of thermoelectric plants, dam construction on deep overburden layer, and concrete-faced gravel-fill dams, and provided technical support for many large-size projects such as the cofferdam of Three Gorges Project, Xiaolangdi Project, the First Stage Project of Tianshengqiao Hydropower Station, Pubugou Project, Lubuge Project, Wuluwati Project, Zipingpu Project, Meixi Project and Gongboxia Project. The first group of geotechnical test apparatus and a series of dam safety monitoring instruments were developed in the Department, such as vibrating wire soil pressure cell, vibrating wire strain gauge, servo inclinometer, stratified settlement gauge, EL in-place inclinometer, multipoint rod extensometer, wire alignment horizontal displacement system and hydraulic overflow settlement system. Geotechnical Test Regulations, Geotechnical Test Methods and Standards, Safety Monitoring Technology Rules for Earth and Rock-Fill Dams and Observation Techniques for Earth and Rock-Fill Dams were also compiled by the Department.