Early in the morning of May 9, the bus drove into the old county of Beichuan, the road began to become bumpy.
In the sandy and dusty road, you can still vaguely make out the flowers placed along the way to pay tribute. There were 28 students from the 2019 class of geological engineering. They will carry out field practice for the chapter on active faults and earthquakes in Principles of Engineering Geological Analysis.
The associate professor, Luo Yonghong, was explaining the geohazards of Beichuan to the students.
Thirteen years ago, in order to prevent and control secondary geological disasters and post-disaster reconstruction, the team of State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironmental Protection of Chengdu University of Technology (hereinafter referred to as "SKLGP") walked backwards among the broken walls and on the front line of the Beichuan Earthquake. Thirteen years later, in order to practice the inheritance of theory and responsibility, The 28 students of geological engineering major carried out geological practice at the earthquake site. On the one hand, they carefully observed the active faults and surface rupture, and analyzed the fault tectonic movement rigorously and calmly consolidate the theoretical foundation; on the one hand, they felt the great suffering brought by the earthquakes and the great spirit of earthquake relief to inspire the professional social responsibility.
On this road, which has left the footprints of countless professional predecessors, academic accomplishment and the sense of mission of disaster prevention and control have been connected.
Practice：Laboratory With No Borders
Science spot: Zhujia section of the Beichuan Shaba Fault Trench
The uplift brought by the earthquake fault made the rock and soil layer under the surface exposed in the form of cut surface, and the high temperature brought by the violent movement of the earth's crust turned part of the soil layer into scorched black, contrasting with the color of the original yellow soil. The students hurried down the iron ladder after seeing it and gently twisted the black soil with their fingers to distinguish it.
The students came to Beichuan for sight observation of surface rupture zone.
As the only large-scale earthquake disaster site area in the world that is currently protected in its entirety in situ and in its original form, the old county site of Beichuan is like a natural laboratory without borders. "Pay attention to observe geological phenomena, and communicate any situation." The Professor Ji Feng of the Geological Disaster State Heavy Laboratory always said to the students all the way. "In Beichuan, the conflict of the interaction phenomenon between basic geology and engineering construction is very obvious. Students can immediately comprehend that geological structure has such a direct impact on engineering construction." Ji Feng introduced.
Professor Ji Feng was explaining the geological situation to the students.
Intuitive and direct feeling are the key words of field practice experience. The teaching mode of "theory + practice" has been practiced for 9 years since the innovative class of geological engineering department was established in 2012 in the College of Environmental and Civil Engineering, and it has achieved brilliant teaching effect. This is the first time that geological engineering majors have adopted the "voluntary registration and mixed grouping" method of internship organization.
"After nine years of exploration, the innovative class's teaching model has been extended to other classes, and the 'project-based' interest learning model will be further explored." Luo Yonghong, an associate professor from the SKLGP said. The leading teacher. Ji Feng, also the instructor, believes that the promotion of such field trips and the adoption of the flipped classroom model during the undergraduate period will undoubtedly provide more possibilities for students' future development by consolidating their geological and mechanical foundations. "Field practice improves the education of practical ability. With a solid foundation, students will have the possibility to develop in all aspects."
The associate professor, Luo Yonghong, was explaining the surface uplift movements of active faults.
But this professional practice is much more than teaching professional knowledge
In the "5.12" Wenchuan Earthquake Memorial Museum, the projector was showing the miserable scene caused by the earthquake that happened 13 years ago. Luo Yonghong saw some of the students being moved to tears. He said: "In fact, this shows that we have achieved the purpose of educating students ." Recalling the scene at the moment, he felt relieved.
▲The Visit to 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake Memorial Museum in Beichuan
The "purpose" mentioned before by Luo Yonghong is to develop students' humanistic perspective and enhance their profession-induced social responsibility, which is one of the reasons to choose Beichuan as the practice base.
From 2008 to 2021, teachers and students of geology at CDUT have been committed to the work in Beichuan including selecting the post-disaster reconstruction site, screening potential geological hazards, investigating and managing major geohazard spots and early-warning and monitoring the secondary disaster of earthquake. "We are reluctant to see what the old generation has achieved being stagnant or abandoned in our generation." Professor Ji Feng said emotionally in the interview. It is a sense of responsibility and mission to renew efforts to explore and study while following the predecessors, which, in Ji Feng’s mind, is the most fundamental motivation to encourage generations of geologists to overcome difficulties in scientific research. It is also one of the visions of this geological engineering professional practice: "Profession+humanistic feelings”represents the most nutritious soil to cultivate students and the original aspiration to engage in geological engineering. "
Inheritance: Professional Devotion Is the Most Nutritious Soil
The first stop after entering the old district of Beichuan by bus was the Beichuan Vocational Education Center Ruin. Setting foot on the land, the first feeling was "soft" as the road underfoot was composed of soft mud and sand; the second feeling was "choking" as we were greeted with overwhelming floating sand in the air, making us caught off guard. These mud and sand were transported here by mudslides and floods after the earthquake.
▲Beichuan Vocational Education Center Ruin
A student named Zhao Haoxing had an itchy nose , but he didn't sneeze for the fear that he couldn’t follow professor Ji Feng who was introducing how fragmented the tectonic fault was in the opposite mountain range if he missed a word.
This is Zhao Haoxing's second visit to Beichuan. When he first visited Beichuan in elementary school, the "tragedy and misery" scene left a vogue impression on him. But this time, as a sophomore majoring in geological engineering, he definitely has a more professional knowledge reserve and observation perspective. He thought the biggest gain of this fieldwork was not only the professional knowledge, but also the familiar fear brought by earthquake.
▲The Old County Ruin
13 years ago, Zhao Haoxing, a student in the first grade of elementary school from Mianyang city, had felt such a strong tremor for the first time in his life—in his words, "too shaky to walk stably ". He was taken to the playground by his teacher. He recalled: "I was at loss and didn’t know what was happening". When he saw the collapsed houses at the ruins, the familiar panic came flooding back. "In spite of 13 years passing by, I still remember that kind of fear", he said. When he was asked whether he still remembered the feeling at that moment, the shy boy suddenly nodded.
when he filled the application form, the choice of which universities did he prefer, he recalled the thought he had in childhood that “ I wish there would be an early-warning system for earthquake.” Therefore, this "fear" motivated him to choose a major related to geology. This experience also made him aware of his duty as a student majoring in geology. "When I visit these ruins, I keep thinking if I work harder in geological engineering in the future, can I make any contribution to mitigating the damage to the houses when such disasters happen again."
▲The students were observing the damaged houses caused by earthquake
The choice of an individual can always reflect the choice of the times. Zhao Haoxing's choice of "the geological path" is also the choice of SKLGP. SKLGP has been working for 13 years on the transformation of “the strongest academic team” dedicated to research on Wenchuan earthquake.
Persistence: Casting "the strongest academic team" devoting to Wenchuan earthquake related researches
As the only State Key Laboratory in the field of geohazard prevention in China, SKLGP has been specialized in engineering geological evaluation and high slope protection in its past researches. The “5.12” Wenchuan earthquake became a turning point for SKLGP to expand its research direction.
Xu Qiang, the executive deputy director of SKLGP, said in an interview, “We are determined to have a thorough study of Wenchuan earthquake, no matter for 10 years, 50 years, or even longer, which is a relay race”. It is also the goal of the SKLGP team to keep fighting on the road of earthquake research.
▲ English literature search results related to Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan
During the period of post-disaster restoration and reconstruction from 2008 to 2009, SKLGP has implemented a serious of works, including the investigation of Wenchuan earthquake coseismal disasters, site selection for post-disaster reconstruction, draft of the Provincial Prevented and Cured Special Plan of Geological Disaster, survey of major geological hazards, and design of proposal projects, etc. Besides, SKLGP has studied the characteristics, distribution features as well as formation mechanisms of tens of thousands of landslides, collapses, landslide dams and barrier lakes triggered during Wenchuan earthquake.
From 2010 to 2013, the post-earthquake mudslides concentrated outbreak period, SKLGP shifted part of its research focus to the investigation and evaluation, formation mechanisms, monitoring and warning, and engineering methods for prevention and control of mudslides in the earthquake area.
Since 2013, the period of high landslides in earthquake-fractured mountain, based on the “973” program and the innovative research group project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), SKLGP has proposed and built Integrated “Space-Air-Ground” Early Detection, Monitoring and Warning System (the “Three-Investigation” system) for Potential Catastrophic Geohazards, and has led multilateral efforts to successfully declare the Key Research & Development program of the Ministry of Science and Technology. At present, the “Three-Investigation” system has identified thousands of new geological hazards in Sichuan, Guizhou and other places.
▲Main research fields and directions of geological disasters caused by Wenchuan earthquake
SKLGP not only scales new heights of scientific researches, and also shoulders social responsibility. In addition to the relevant research work, SKLGP also attaches importance on opening up to the public and popularizing scientific knowledge. Until now, the biannual "Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Open Week" has become one of the brand activities of SKLGP and CDUT. During this period, SKLGP participates in the rock and soil stability evaluation as well as disaster prevention of major construction projects so as to make it move forward smoothly; SKLGP guides and participants in emergency investigation, hidden danger investigation, emergency response, emergency rescue and disaster relief, building a solid barrier for disaster prevention and relief in our country...
The trip to the Beichuan Earthquake Ruin started from Renjiaping and ended with the old county ruin. For 13 years, the SKLGP has walked on this road for many times. How to restore the activity of post-earthquake geohazard in seismic disturbed regions to the pre-level? And what are the geological hazard chains and long-term effects? The members of SKLGP have been exploring all the way forward. No one knows how far the road is. But the only thing for sure is that persistence and inheritance will lead us to the destination.
(Partial Source: China Economic Net “Nature is a Natural Laboratory”)
