The institute was planned to be built in 1952, and was formally established in 1954.

   1954—1962

Institute Name: Institute of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Main Research Field: building materials, soil mechanics, engineering structures, architectural design

   1962—1970

Institute Name: Institute of Engineering Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Main Research Field: earthquake engineering, mechanics of nuclear reactor structure, soil mechanics, shock and vibration, special concrete and its properties

   1970—1984

Institute Name: Institute of Engineering Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Institute of Engineering Mechanics, State Seismological Bureau

Main Research Field: earthquake engineering, safety engineering, disaster reduction and mitigation

   1984—1998

Institute Name: Institute of Engineering Mechanics, State Seismological Bureau

Main Research Field: earthquake engineering, safety engineering, disaster reduction and mitigation

  1998—present

Institute Name: Institute of Engineering Mechanics, China Earthquake Administration

Main Research Field: earthquake engineering, safety engineering, disaster reduction and mitigation

Professor LIU Huixian was the founding director of the IEM, followed directors are Professor HU Yuxian, XIE Junfei, XIE Lili, FENG Qimin, QI Xiaozhai, WANG Zifa and SUN Baitao. The current director is Professor LI Shanyou, and the honorary director is Professor XIE Lili.

Past and Present Directors of the Institute