NHRI

Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, set up in 1935, originally known as the Central Hydraulic Engineering Research Institute, is the first of its kind in China. The institute is at present under the joint jurisdiction of the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Communications, and the State Power, P. R. China.

The institute is a multipurpose national hydraulic research complex, which, with the basic theoretical research and applied research as its major orientation, undertakes directional, principal and comprehensive researches for water conservancy, water resources management, hydroelectric power, waterway transportation projects, and the application and extension of small hydro power technology. At the same time, the institute acts as the Dam Safety Monitoring Centre and the Engineering quality Inspection Centre of the Ministry of Water Resources, providing safety monitoring services for large dams and quality inspection and supervision services for engineering projects in China, and as the Regional Centre (Asia-Pacific) For Small Hydropower (based in Hangzhou, under the sponsorship of the Chinese government and United Nations Development Program), engaged in the small hydropower research, training, information and consultation in the Asia-Pacific region and other regions as well. Departments affiliated to the institute are Hydraulic Engineering Department, River and Harbor Department, Geotechnical Engineering Department, Material and Structure Department, Hydrology and Water Resources Department, Rural Electrification Department, Dam Safety Monitoring Department, Survey and Design Department, Technical Information Centre, Engineering Supervision Department, R & D High Technology Co., and Nanshui Civil Engineering Co., etc. Major and unique areas of interest include: engineering hydraulics, seepage flow through hydraulic structures, tapping of ground water resources, hydraulics of navigation structures and fish-way structures, river dynamics and sedimentation, river training, tidal estuary training, coastal processes and harbor siltation, wave dynamics and interaction between waves and structures, foundation improvement and foundation engineering, soil deformation and interaction between soil and structures, construction technology for earth and rock-fill dams, geotechnical measuring technology, massive structures exposed to water environment under long-term static loading, deep-water harbor construction technology, structural vibration and earthquake resistance, strength and durability of reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete exposed to water environment, corrosion and anticorrosion technology of reinforced concrete and steel structures exposed to water environment, construction technology of concrete structures, environmental engineering, geo-synthetics application, application of radio-active isotope technology in hydraulic engineering, basic hydrological theory, assessment, use, management and protection of water resources, water environment assessment, flood control, application and extension of small hydro power technology, design and rehabilitation of small hydro power stations, design of pumped storage power plants, automatic control technology, power-grid management information technology and loss-reduction technology, instrument development and measuring technology, data analysis, and technical and economic appraisal of engineering projects. Every year, the institute undertakes more than 500 research topics and forwards over 200 research findings. Since 1978, the institute has won 311 scientific awards at national, ministerial and provincial levels, covering sedimentation, hydraulics of ship locks, turbulence structure, underground water resources, coastal dyke investigation, coastal erosion, engineering materials and structures, dam construction technology, soft foundation improvement, waterway training, harbor construction, seepage through dams, sewage discharge, river model tests, training of muddy coast, geo-textile application, and remote sensing technology, etc.

The institute has a total staff of about 900 inclusive of 350 senior research engineers (equivalent to professors and senior consultant engineers).

The institute covers a total area of 400,000m2, including an area of 99,400m2 for academic purposes. The institute has more than 20 large-size (>2,000m2) laboratories and testing halls, and over 300 instrumental facilities (each valued at more than RMB 10,000) for large-size model tests.

The institute has a storage of 230,000 technical books and periodicals in either Chinese or foreign languages.
Seven national journals are published regularly by the institute: Hydro-Science and Engineering(in Chinese, with English abstracts), Ocean Engineering (in Chinese, with English abstracts), China Ocean Engineering (in English), The Journal of Geotechnical Engineering(in Chinese, with English abstracts), Advances in Water Science(in Chinese, with English abstracts),Small Hydropower(in Chinese), and SHP News(in English).

The administrative bodies of the Chinese Ocean Engineering Society and the Geotechnical Engineering Committee of the Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Society are stationed in the institute.

The institute attaches great importance to international exchange and cooperation. Many fellow scientists and specialists from the world over have come to the institute for technical visits, lecturing, training, and academic exchange activities. The institute has so far fulfilled a good under of research assignments for international projects. Many research members of the institute have been invited to foreign countries for lecturing, working and joint researches with foreign counterparts. Some senior research engineers of the institute have assumed some important positions of international academic organizations. At present, the institute has established either cooperative relationships or material exchange relationships with institutions in many countries and regions.

Approved by the State Academic Degrees Committee, the institute is one of the first national institutions authorized to confer Doctorate and Master degrees of related disciplines.