The First National Conference on Rheological Mechanics of Road Materials, co-hosted by the Chinese Society of Rheology belonging to the Chinese Chemical Society and the Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, and Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), was recently held with more than 300 participants, including experts, scholars, doctoral students, and industry representatives from across the country.
A plenary session of the conference. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Professor Zheng Jianlong from Changsha University of Science and Technology expressed hope that the conference would foster the exchange of ideas and spark interdisciplinary innovation, and encouraged young participants to challenge conventional thinking, pursue cutting-edge scientific questions, and remain mindful of national strategic needs, thereby contributing scientific and technological strength to the development of safer, more durable, and greener transportation infrastructure.
Zheng Jianlong delivers an address. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Luo Wenbo, deputy director of the Chinese Society of Rheology, expressed hope that the conference would develop into a regularly held, high-level flagship academic event, providing a stable and enduring platform for exchange and collaboration among scholars in road material rheology. He also called on participating experts and scholars to remain at the forefront of the field, strive for academic excellence, and keep contributing to technological progress in China's road sector.
Luo Wenbo delivers an address. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Luan Bo, executive director of Shandong Chambroad Holding Group, expressed hope that the conference would serve as a catalyst for closer cooperation with experts, scholars, and industry partners. Focusing on foundational disciplines such as rheological mechanics, he proposed joint efforts in frontier areas including specialty asphalt materials to accelerate the translation of scientific and technological achievements, foster productive forces in China's road materials industry, and provide strong support for building a modern, integrated transportation system.
Luan Bo delivers an address. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Conference Chair Tan Yiqiu, vice-president of HIT and president of HIT's Weihai campus, expressed hope that participating experts and young scholars would engage in in-depth exchanges centered on both engineering challenges and fundamental scientific questions, leverage the strengths of interdisciplinary collaboration, and continue to innovate while building on past achievements, thereby jointly advancing the field of rheological mechanics of road materials and contributing wisdom and strength to the development of a transportation powerhouse.
Tan Yiqiu delivers an address. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Professor Dong Zejiao, dean of HIT's School of Transportation Science and Engineering, presided over the opening ceremony, while Professor Shan Liyan, associate dean of the school, chaired the closing ceremony.
Scholars from different institutes delivered keynote lectures, sharing the latest research findings and practical experiences in road material rheology and the development of transportation-related disciplines.
Keynote lectures. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
With the theme "Opportunities and Challenges for Rheology in Green and Intelligent Road Construction", the conference featured nine parallel forums focusing on key topics.
Parallel forums. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Wang Yajie and Dai Mingxin, doctoral students from the Class of 2022 at HIT's School of Transportation Science and Engineering, received Best Presentation Awards at the Doctoral Student Forum, with conference guests presenting the awards.
Awards are presented to speakers with the best presentations. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
During the conference, participating experts and scholars visited the Popular Science Center of the Future Transportation International Innovation Platform at HIT's School of Transportation Science and Engineering, gaining firsthand insights into the school's disciplinary strengths and latest research achievements.
Editor: Shang Yankai
Reviewed by: Song Ling, Li Shoubin, Yang Wenyu