Large-scale wind-wave deepwater laboratory starts construction in northeast China

SHENYANG -- A large-scale wind-wave deepwater laboratory has begun construction in the coastal city of Dalian in Northeast China's Liaoning province.

Jointly invested by Dalian University of Technology and the China Three Gorges Corporation, the project "Wind-Wave Deepwater Basin," after completion, will realize the effective simulation of the wind-wave complex marine dynamic environment, and provide high-precision experimental simulation technology for the effect of an extreme marine dynamic environment on engineering structures.

It is the first known large-scale wind-wave deepwater laboratory in the world, according to the university.

The project boasts a total land area of 16,000 square meters and a floor area of 8,100 square meters. It is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026.

In the marine environment, waves and wind have an important impact on offshore engineering facilities, and are important factors that must be considered in the design and operation of offshore engineering, said Lyu Lin, vice dean of the School of Infrastructure Engineering, Dalian University of Technology.

The laboratory will provide first-class research and development conditions and high-quality technical services for significant national needs, such as the development of deep-sea oil and gas resources, the utilization of offshore renewable energy, and the construction of major cross-sea transportation infrastructure.