From June 8th to 10th, the field investigation to rock-filled concrete (RFC) dam sites and expert consultation meeting on dam construction technology was successfully held in Zunyi, Guizhou Province. This conference was hosted by Tsinghua University. Ye Zhang, Director-general of China Society of Hydropower Engineering, Dunfeng Zong, Chief Engineer of Power Construction Corporation of China, Dongping Chen, Deputy Secretary General of China Society of Hydropower Engineering, Baoping Sun, Deputy Chief Engineer of China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute, Jiangyang Pan, Chief Engineer of PowerChina Zhongnan Engineering Co. Ltd., Xizhang Gao, Deputy General Manager of Sichuan Water Resources and Hydroelectric Investigation & Design Institute Co. Ltd., Haiyan Yang, Deputy Chief Engineer of China Water Resources Beifang Investigation, Design and Research Co. Ltd. , and more than 30 famous experts and directors from relevant institutes and departments, including Guizhou Survey & Design Research Institute for Water Resources and Hydropower, Guizhou University, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Xijing University and Zunyi Survey & Design Institute of Water Conservancy and Hydropower, attended the meeting.

Group photo of participants

Prof. Feng Jin from Tsinghua University introduced the research, application and development of RFC dams to the participants. RFC technology is a novel mass concrete technology invented by Tsinghua University. And it is the only new dam type originally invented by the Chinese and recognized by International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD). Since its appearance in 2003, more than 120 RFC dams have been built or under construction. Quanyi Zhang, Chief Engineer of Zunyi Survey & Design Institute of Water Conservancy and Hydropower, reported on the construction of RFC dams in Zunyi. After the meeting, the experts investigated the on-site construction of the RFC gravity dam project of Yanggongyan Reservoir and then visited the RFC gravity dam project of Linjiaping Reservoir and the RFC arch dam project of Lyutang Reservoir, which are both completed.

The experts fully affirmed the achievements made in the construction of RFC dams and put forward ideas on the construction of 100m high RFC dams. Director-general Ye Zhang pointed out in his speech: Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) is a revolution in the field of concrete dam construction technology. RFC is undoubtedly a new revolution in this field after RCC. It has many advantages, such as simplified temperature control, reduced cost, simple process and fast construction speed. It is a novel technology of China's independent intellectual property rights with broad application prospects. China Society of Hydropower Engineering should give full play to the role of industry technology exchange platform and actively promote the popularization and application of new technology of RFC dams. In their speeches, the experts not only recognized the achievements made in the research and construction of RFC dams, but also offered many specific suggestions on the key technologies for RFC high dam construction, the application of RFC dam technology in large-scale pumped storage projects, the application of artesian flow control grouting technology in soft foundation treatment, and the international promotion of RFC technology. The speeches of Director-general Ye Zhang and other experts pointed out the direction for the research and technical promotion of RFC dams. This on-site investigation and technical consultation meeting was a total success.

Experts at the Linjiaping RFC gravity dam site (completed)

Experts at the Lyutang RFC arch dam site (completed)

Experts at the Yanggongyan RFC gravity dam site (under construction)