On December 10, 2025, the kick-off meeting for the National Natural Science Foundation of China key project "Design Theory and Methodology for the Full Lifecycle of Loess Tunnel Support Structures" was successfully convened in Xi'an. Led by Professor Chen Jianxun from our school, the meeting invited distinguished experts including Academician Yao Yangping from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor-level Senior Engineer Wang Hualao from the Research Institute of Highway, Ministry of Transport, Professor Huang Maosong from Tongji University, Professor Zheng Junjie from Wuhan University, and Professor Liu Fengyin from Xi'an University of Technology to provide guidance, ensuring the high-quality implementation and advancement of the project.
The meeting was chaired by Yao Yiliang, Vice Dean of the Scientific Research Institute of Chang'an University, who extended a warm welcome and sincere gratitude to the attending academician and experts. He proposed Academician Yao Yangping as the chair of the expert advisory committee. Subsequently, the project leader, Professor Chen Jianxun, provided a detailed presentation covering the project's overall framework, research objectives, key scientific issues, core research tasks, implementation plan, research schedule, and existing foundational research.
The expert advisory committee attentively listened to the project report and engaged in in-depth discussions and guidance on topics such as loess mechanics experiments, constitutive models of loess, and the interaction mechanisms between loess and tunnel support structures. The committee acknowledged that the project's focus on the safety and stability of loess tunnel support structures throughout their lifecycle holds significant importance for advancing the design theory of such structures in China. Furthermore, the committee identified potential challenges in the project's implementation and offered constructive suggestions regarding loess mechanics testing methods, structural model analysis of loess, and the analysis and testing of long-term mechanical properties of loess tunnels.
In his concluding remarks, Professor Chen Jianxun expressed heartfelt thanks to the experts for their guidance despite their busy schedules. He affirmed that the project team would carefully incorporate the valuable insights from the experts, foster consensus, and diligently advance the research work to ensure the high-quality implementation of the project.
(Written by: Chen Lijun | Reviewed by: Han Wanshui | Edited by: Guo Yang)
