about us

The Institute of Engineering Mechanics (IEM), China Earthquake Administration (CEA) was established in 1954. Initially named the Institute of Civil Engineering and Architecture under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the first director was Professor LIU Huixian, the founder of earthquake engineering in China. Thereafter, Professors HU Yuxian, XIE Junfei, XIE Lili, FENG Qimin, QI Xiaozhai, WANG Zifa and SUN Baitao have all been directors. The present director is Professor LI Shanyou, and the honorary director is Professor XIE Lili.

IEM is one of the national non-profit research institutes in China. Our main research fields are earthquake engineering, safety engineering and disaster reduction and mitigation. At present, IEM has eight research divisions: Engineering Seismology Research Center, Structural Engineering Research Center, Urban Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Research Center, Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering Research Strong Motion Observation Center, Earthquake Engineering Experimental Center, Science & Technology Periodical Department, and Transformation Center for Scientific & Technological Achievements, as well as three key laboratories, the Key Laboratory of Earthquake Disaster Mitigation under the Ministry of Emergency Management, the Key Laboratory of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Vibration under the China Earthquake Administration, and the Key Laboratory of Disaster Early Warning and Engineering Defense under the Heilongjiang Province.

IEM has 5 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and more than 130 professors and associate professors. As a key base of graduate training for the CEA, approximately 30 doctoral candidates, 120 master candidates, and several postdoctoral fellows are recruited annually and over 500 Ph.D./M.S. candidates are currently pursuing their studies and research endeavors here.

  • 5

    academicians of Chinese Academy of Engineering

  • 100+

    professors and associate professors
  •  

  • 30

    doctoral candidates

  • 120

    master candidates

  • 500+

    Ph.D./M.S

In recent years, IEM has undertaken numerous significant projects under the National Basic Research Program, the National Key Research and Development Program, the National Science and Technology Infrastructure Program, and the National Natural Science Foundation Program, achieving a multitude of important scientific accomplishments. IEM researchers have pioneered theoretical systems and methods for determining seismic loads, performance-based seismic design, and wave propagation using explicit finite element method and artificial transmission boundaries, as well as earthquake damage prediction and loss assessment. The IEM opened up the field of vibration instrumentation development, and established the most comprehensive strong motion database in China.

IEM has two campuses, the Harbin campus (headquarters), and the Yanjiao campus (experimental base, near Beijing). IEM’s Earthquake Engineering Experimental Center (EEEC) is currently one of the most comprehensive large-scale seismic engineering laboratories in China, consisting of four sections: Structural Laboratory, Seismic Simulation Laboratory (Shaking Table Array), Centrifuge Laboratory, and Geodynamics Laboratory. The EEEC is equipped with world-class experimental facilities aimed at improving the safety and resilience of civil engineering and urban communities, such as: (1) an array of three shaking tables with platforms of 5 m×5 m, 3.5 m×3.5 m and 3.5 m×3.5 m, (2) a 5.5 m-radius dynamic centrifuge with a shaking table of 1500 kg payload, (3) a pseudo-dynamic testing system with a 6DOF boundary loading devices, (4) a large scale metrological verification platform of seismic mitigation and isolation devices, (5) nonstructural element earthquake response simulators; and (6) various micro observation and material testing apparatus.

IEM hosts four journals, one in English and three in Chinese. The three Chinese journals are Journal of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Dynamics, Journal of Natural Disasters, and World Earthquake Engineering, all of which are core national journals. The English journal, Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Vibration is included in the Science Citation Index (SCI) and Engineering Index (EI) database.

Exchange and cooperation is an essential approach to improving academic excellence and international reputation. IEM has wide connections with foreign and domestic institutions and universities; scientific & technical exchange and cooperation have been taking place since its establishment.

Over the past seven decades, IEM has made important contributions to our country in the field of earthquake hazard mitigation and earthquake disaster reduction. Looking forward, we will continue to strive to further enhance our capabilities in disaster preparedness, mitigation, and recovery.