Introduction to national key lab of hydraulics and mountain river engineering

    National key lab of hydraulics and mountain river engineering was constructed in May, 1988 by approval of State Planning Commission, and was opened at home and abroad officially in January, 1990 after approval of State Education Commission, and passed national acceptation in January, 1992. On April 8, 2005, the lab was changed from “National key lab of high speed hydraulics” to “National key lab of hydraulics and mountain river development and protection” after approval by Ministry Of Science And Technology. It is the earliest lab in our country that engages in the research of inland water resources and hydropower engineering area and application foundation research.
     Hydraulic engineering in Sichuan University was originated from civil water system of Science and Technology College of Sichuan University, which was set up in 1944. As early as 1952, hydraulics and rive dynamics had been approved as the national key subject on hydraulics, and was approved as the first subject post for the special appointed professor of Changjiang Scholars in 1998. In 2000, hydraulics engineering subject was approved as the first level doctor degree authorization. In 2005, the lab was approved to establish as I class platform for the science and technology innovation of “985 project”. Currently, the lab has hydraulics and river dynamics, geotechnical engineering and solid mechanics three national key subjects, has hydraulic engineering, dynamics, environment science and engineering three first level subject doctor degree authorization , as well as geotechnical engineering, structural engineering and ecology three doctor degree authorization. Based on the characteristics of Southwest Mountain rivers, the lab perform research on mountain river development and development, with special focus on engineering hydraulics, mountain river sediment, high dam and large reservoir water environment and rock mechanics discipline.
     The main task of the lab is to conduct scientific research, talent training and open platform construction in the mountain river development (especially high dam large water resources and hydropower engineering) and protection (especially river healthy and water environment protection resulting from mountain river developments) area. It is specialized on the research of basic application on the hydraulics of our southwestern mountain river and world high dam (including engineering hydraulics, mountain river dynamics and environment hydraulics) and rock mechanics. Its main target is to establish international first academic platform on engineering hydraulics and mountain river development and protection area, facilitate the scientific innovation, talent cultivation and academic exchange in the hydraulics and mountain river development and protection area, and provide support for water resources and hydropower engineering construction and mountain river disaster prevention. Through establishment of high level team and modern public platform, it hopes to achieve international level in engineering hydraulics, mountain river dynamics, high dam large reservoir water environment, and dam and reservoir bank safety, and intelligent scheduling for the cascade power stations area.
     The lab conducts research on the five directions, including high speed hydraulics and high dam engineering, river dynamics and mountain river engineering, environment hydraulics and mountain river protection, dam and reservoir bank safety, water information and water conservancy new technology. The five directions are integrated into one parts based on the mountain river development and relative environment protection of high dam engineering.
     The lab has undertaken a lot of research projects on national basic research for application, such as the national key research and development program chief scientist project, “973 program” chief scientist project, task, “863 plan” task, science and technology support program task, national natural science foundation key project, has acquired plentiful research results on basic research, and improve the theoretic research level greatly. By improving capability on undertaking national key scientific research task and acquiring international important innovation results, it will give strong support to the water resource and hydropower construction and west development in our country
     Based on the principle of cultivating and introducing talents for a long term, the lab has established a high level scientific research team with “truth seeking, innovation, and cooperation”spirit, and reasonable age level and knowledge structure after more than twenty years development. The team is playing an important role on undertaking key scientific research task, acquiring innovative scientific research results, developing academic exchange and cooperation at home or abroad, training undergraduate students and lab public platform construction aspects. For the permanent staffs in the lab, there are 1 Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, 3 distinguished academicians, 3 special appointed experts for the national “Thousand Talents Program”, 10 staffs awarded National Outstanding Youth Science Foundation, 4 special appointed professors for Changing Scholars Program, 2 chair professor, 5 staffs selected from National (New Century) Millions Talents,4 staffs awarded national excellent youth science foundation , 2 staffs selected from National “Youth Thousand Plan”, 2 staffs selected as Youth Changjiang Scholars, and 2 innovative teams for the Changjiang Scholars In Education Ministry.