On the morning of May 6, 2013, Hydrochina Huadong held a ceremony to confer the appointment letter of the academicianexpert workstation on Gong Xiaonan, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, famous expert in geotechnical engineering, and professor from Zhejiang University. Afterwards, Academician Gong made an academic report. Over 120 technicians witnessed the ceremony and listened to the report. Zhang Chunsheng, president of Hydrochina Huadong, presided over the ceremony and the academic report meeting.  

Academician Gong’s report is entitled 'Thoughts on Geotechnical Engineering Problems”. He systematically introduced the discipline characteristics and links in the working process of geotechnical engineering, gave a commentary about the source of analysis errors of geotechnical engineering problems and countermeasures, explained the difference between shear strength and shear strength index of soft clay, and put forward thoughts and recommendations on geotechnical engineering numerical analysis methods and development direction. In addition, he introduced the current internationally advanced new technologies in geotechnical engineering. Academician Gong Xiaonan, as an academician engaged in the Academician Expert Workstation in Hydrochina Huadong, will provide strong support for the cultivation of high-level technical personnel in geotechnical engineering for Hydrochina Huadong, and offer guidance and help to solve the major technical problems in the investigation and design of geotechnical works.