Recently, the list of approved projects for the 2024 National Key R&D Program "Key Technologies and Equipment for Sustainable Urban Development" was officially announced. The project "Research and Development and Demonstration of Key Technologies and Equipment for Digital 'One-Map' Construction and Integrated Intensive Construction of Urban Underground Pipe Networks (Common Key Technology Category)," led by Wuhan University in collaboration with Hefei University of Technology (HFUT) and other institutions, was successfully approved for funding. Within this project, Associate Professor GUO Shuai from the College of Civil Engineering at HFUT is leading Task 3, titled "Integrated Trenchless Construction and Rehabilitation Technologies and Equipment for Underground Pipe Networks in Confined Spaces and Restricted Areas," with a national grant allocation of 6.4 million yuan.

This project addresses the strategic needs of national sustainable urban development and focuses on technical bottlenecks in the construction and maintenance of urban underground pipe networks. It aims to build a life-cycle "One-Map" comprehensive management platform through the research and development of digital, intelligent, and intensive technologies to enhance the safety and operational efficiency of pipe networks. Task 3, undertaken by HFUT, will focus on breakthroughs in core technologies for trenchless construction and rehabilitation in complex environments, developing high-efficiency, environmentally friendly, and intelligent equipment systems to provide key technical support for the high-quality construction and renewal of urban underground pipe networks.

Associate Professor GUO Shuai’s research team has long been committed to scientific research and engineering practice in the field of municipal infrastructure, accumulating extensive experience in trenchless technology and underground space development. The approval of this task reflects the innovative strength and disciplinary advantages of the College of Civil Engineering in the field of sustainable urban development technology. The research team will collaborate with leading industry enterprises to carry out joint technical breakthroughs, ensuring the high-quality completion of research goals and contributing to the intelligent transformation of China's urban underground pipe networks.