Established in 1958, the Department has been mainly engaged in the research, consultancy, inspection, and rehabilitation of hydraulic structures. Providing services for more than 100 large-scale hydro projects like the Three Gorges Project, the Xiaolangdi Project, etc., it has been awarded about 40 national or provincial-level prizes for progress in science and technology as well as a dozen of patents for important inventions.
Consisting of 4 research sections, the Department has 46 full-time employees, including 1 academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, 11 professor-level senior engineers, and 18 senior engineers. Among the employees, 10 hold Doctor’s degrees and 16 have Master's degrees.
Section of Digital Visual Simulation
· Mass concrete thermal stress simulation and temperature control
· Visual simulation analysis of large and complicated structures
· Visual simulation of dam construction process
· Modern structural analysis methods and engineering applications
· 3D digital visual design methods and software development
Simulation analysis of thermal stress of the intake dam section and powerhouse of the Jinghong Hydropower Station
Simulation model and stress computation of the Three Gorges ship lift tower
Whole-process temperature control and simulation analysis of the Xiluodu Arch Dam
Section of Dam Engineering Technology
· Optimum design technology for arch dams
· Non-linear analysis methods of dam deformation and stress
· Load bearing capacity analysis, safety assessment, and strengthening methods of distressed dams
· Simulation analysis of interaction between the concrete dam and adjacent structures/foundation
· Failure process simulation of concrete dams and rock foundations
The 140m high Jiangkou Arch Dam in Chongqing using optimum design
Safety analysis of the Xiaowan Arch Dam considering the effect of the transverse joints
Rock slope toppling failure simulation considering rock fracturing
Section of Safety Monitoring and Testing
· Dam safety monitoring and automatic management technology
· Dam safety monitoring information analysis and safety assessment
· Research and development of dam safety monitoring information management and analysis system
· Informationized safety control of hydraulic structure engineering
· Defect detection and safety assessment of hydraulic structures
Safety monitoring system for the Xiaolangdi Project
Safety monitoring information analysis system for dams of the Northeast Power Grid of China
Section of Rock Mass and Underground Structures
· Fractured rock seepage theories and analysis methods of large underground structures
· Analysis methds of impacts of seepage in fractured rock mass on hydraulic structures
· 3D modeling and block cutting technology of rock mass with complicated geological conditions
· 3D block theories and stability analysis methods of rock engineering
· Coupled models of micro and meso interstitial structure of concrete for macro performance analysis
Stability analysis of the Ludila diversion tunnel using 3D block group stability analysis methods
Feasibility and safety study on the construction gallery and the bifurcated water conveyance tunnel of the middle route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project
3D finite element analysis of an underground power house
