On July 15, 2023, the kick-off meeting and first working meeting of the China Association for Engineering Construction Standardization (CECS) standard "Technical Specification for Permanent Retaining Structures of Deep Foundation Pits" (hereinafter referred to as the "Specification"), jointly chief-edited by Shandong University and Zhongshiye Investment Group Construction Co., Ltd., was held in Jinan in a combined online and offline format. The meeting was organized by the School of Civil Engineering and Water Resources of Shandong University and the Research Center for Foundation Pit and Deep Foundation Engineering Technology, and was attended by 33 experts from 25 editorial committee member units across the country.

Gao Wensheng, Director of the Foundation Engineering Professional Committee of the China Association for Engineering Construction Standardization, presided over the meeting and delivered a speech

The meeting was chaired by Researcher Gao Wensheng, Chairman of the Foundation Engineering Professional Committee of the China Association for Engineering Construction Standardization. Senior Engineer Zhang Huikang, General Manager of Zhongshiye Investment Group Co., Ltd., delivered a welcome speech on behalf of the chief-editing units. Director Gao Wensheng announced on behalf of the association the establishment of the drafting group, its member units and the list of experts, explained the national standardization work system and the provisions for standard drafting, clarified the procedures of standard project approval, kick-off, drafting, soliciting opinions, submission for review and submission for approval, and emphasized the representativeness of the editorial committee member units and the coordination of standard drafting. Li Lianxiang, chief editor of the Specification, professor of the School of Civil Engineering and Water Resources of Shandong University and director of the Research Center for Foundation Pit and Deep Foundation Engineering Technology, introduced the preliminary work such as project approval and preparation of the Specification, reported on the concept of permanentization of deep foundation pit retaining structures and the progress of theoretical research and engineering practice, clarified the direction and requirements of the special research for drafting the Specification, and explained the division of work among the editorial committee members and the drafting work plan.

The online and offline experts attending the meeting highly praised the development direction of permanentization of deep foundation pit retaining structures, fully affirmed the research achievements of the Research Center for Foundation Pit and Deep Foundation Engineering Technology of Shandong University in this field and the foundational work already completed for the Specification, unanimously agreed on the chapter division into Outline and General Provisions, Terms and Symbols, Basic Requirements, Design, Construction, Inspection and Acceptance, and Acceptance and Evaluation, and expressed their expectations and suggestions for the drafting of the Specification in light of the regional characteristics of their respective professional fields.

It is reported that since 2018, the Research Center for Foundation Pit and Deep Foundation Engineering Technology of Shandong University has been earnestly practicing the new development philosophy. In response to the waste, pollution and high carbon emission drawbacks of the "temporary" nature of traditional foundation pits, it took the lead in China in proposing the high-quality development direction of "permanentization of deep foundation pit retaining, full recovery of shallow foundation pit retaining, and scientific utilization of foundation pit rock mass." Accordingly, it completed and implemented the CECS standard "Technical Specification for Fully Recyclable Foundation Pit Retaining" (T/CECS1208-2022) and the Shandong Provincial Engineering Construction Standard "Technical Standard for Soil-Rock Dual-Element Foundation Pit Retaining" (DB37/T5233-2022). The project approval, drafting and promulgation of the "Technical Specification for Permanent Retaining of Deep Foundation Pits," together with the above two standards, will preliminarily establish China's high-quality development theoretical and technical system for foundation pit engineering, achieve a fundamental transformation of the "temporary" nature of traditional foundation pits, and build a new pattern of innovative, green and low-carbon high-quality development of foundation pit engineering.

The editorial committee of the Specification brings together abundant talent, including renowned universities such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University and Tianjin University, authoritative design institutes such as China Architecture Design & Research Group Co., Ltd. and East China Architectural Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd., as well as leading specialized companies such as Jianyan Foundation Engineering Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Yuanfang Foundation Engineering Co., Ltd. The editorial committee member units and experts are widely distributed geographically and representative, covering provinces and cities including Yunnan, Sichuan, Fujian, Shaanxi, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin and Shandong.

Speech by General Manager Zhang Huikang of Zhongshiye Investment Group Co., Ltd.

Report by Professor Li Lianxiang of Shandong University

Chief Engineer Chen Jiadong of Jiangsu Foundation Engineering Co., Ltd.

Chief Engineer Chen Yiping of Central-South Architectural Design Institute Co., Ltd.

Chief Engineer Wang Shuangchun of Sichuan Guoyuan Construction Engineering Co., Ltd.

Chairman Zhang Xiaodong of Yunnan Xingdian Architectural Design Consulting Co., Ltd.

General Manager Zhang Qijun of Qingdao Yegao Construction Engineering Co., Ltd.

Chief Engineer Huo Wenying of China Architecture Design & Research Group Co., Ltd.

Chief Engineer Xi Tie of Hebei Jinxi Iron and Steel Co., Ltd.

Chief Engineer Wang Peng of Shanghai Yuanfang Foundation Engineering Co., Ltd.

Senior Engineer Wang Shuxin of Jianhua Building Materials (China) Co., Ltd.

Chairman Han Shouwen of Xiamen Xinluwen Engineering Technology Co., Ltd.

Chief Engineer Cui Yanji of Jiangsu Jiangjian Group Co., Ltd.

Chief Engineer Gao Xigang of Shandong Gaoxin Geotechnical Engineering Co., Ltd.

Group photo of the meeting

Text and photos: Che Xiuxi, Qiu Yefan