The State Key Laboratory of Deep Geomechanics and Underground Engineering of China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), formerly known as the "Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, Graduate School of China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing)", was founded by Academician He Manchao on December 7, 1991. In May 2007, the Institute changed its name to "National Key Discipline Geotechnical Engineering Research Center." On May 16, 2008, the laboratory of the Geotechnical Engineering Research Center was identified as the "State Key Laboratory" by the Ministry of Science and Technology, and was renamed as the "State Key Laboratory of Deep Geomechanics and Underground Engineering"; It is equipped with more than 20 sets of independently developed large-scale experimental equipment, which constitutes a deep rock mechanics and disaster control experimental research platform with "mechanical characteristics", "failure mode" and "disaster control" as the main body. The laboratory occupies an area of 7000 m2.
The laboratory includes the experiment system of rockburst for rock mechanics at great depth, the model experiment system of damage processes in deep rock engineering, the experiment system of temperature-pressure coupling, the hydrophilic test system for deep soft rock, the nonlinear large deformation analysis system, the remote real-time intelligent monitoring of slope, and the nonlinear mechanical true triaxial experimental system at great depth, with the international level in general.
The laboratory at present has been undertaking several national major scientific research and engineering research projects, including the Basic Study of the Existing Patterns of Deep Coal Resources, Geology Conditions of Exploitation and Meticulous Probe (No. 2006CB202200), National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2016YFC0600900), the Major Research Project of NSFC (No. 50490270), the Creative Team Development Project of the Chinese Education Ministry (No. IRT0656), and Major Program of Science and Technology Foundation of Chinese Education Ministry. A number of awards have been awarded to the laboratory, involving with 3 National Prize for Progress in Science and Technology of China and 1 National Prize for Inventions of China, 2 Chinese Outstanding Patented Invention and 1 International Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering (ISRM) Technological Innovation Award .