The 2026 International Conference on Geohazard Mechanics was held in Shenyang, Liaoning Province a few days ago. Guided by the Chinese Society for Rock Mechanics and Engineering and the China Coal Society, hosted by the Geohazard Mechanics journal, the conference was co organised by Liaoning University, Liaoning Technical University, the Mine Rockburst Professional Committee of the Chinese Society for Rock Mechanics and Engineering, the Professional Committee for Coal Mine Dynamic Disaster Prevention and Control of the China Coal Society, the Key Laboratory of Mine Safety Supervision Bureau for Coal Mine Rockburst Mechanism and Prevention control Technology, the Provincial Ministerial Co construction Collaborative Innovation Center for Major Mine Disaster Prevention control and Environmental Restoration, the Special Committee for Ultra deep Rock Mass Mechanics and Engineering of the International Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, and Xiongan Higher Research Institute of University of Science and Technology Beijing. More than 60 institutions including Northeastern University, University of Science and Technology Beijing, China China Coal Energy Group Co., Ltd., and Shandong Energy Group Co., Ltd. co sponsored the event. Over 60 mainstream academic journals specialising in geohazard mechanics and related fields participated as supporting journals.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Professor Pan Yishan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and conference chair. Professor Derek Elsworth, Member of the US National Academy of Engineering and Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, Zhang Zaiqun, Second level Inspector of the Department of Science and Technology of Liaoning Province, and Professor Lu Anhui, Vice President of Liaoning University, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony.
In his address, Lu Anhui extended a warm welcome to scholars at home and abroad. He noted that the conference theme “Integration and Challenges of Geohazard Mechanics Driven by Both Data and Mechanism” closely follows disciplinary frontiers, aiming to advance the shift from passive response to active prevention and control. As a national “Double First Class” university, Liaoning University has vigorously implemented its strategy for revitalizing science and engineering disciplines and promoted interdisciplinary integration in recent years. The university stands ready to work with global scholars to uncover laws within complex systems, seek certainty amid uncertainties, and contribute Liaoning University’s insight and input to geohazard prevention and mitigation.
Professor Derek Elsworth, Member of the US National Academy of Engineering and Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, gave a presentation.
Professor Yuan Liang, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Anhui University of Science and Technology, gave a presentation.
Professor Cui Peng, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, gave a presentation.
Professor Feng Xiat ing, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Northeastern University, gave a presentation.
Professor Yin Yueping, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, gave a presentation.
Professor Chen Guangqi, academician of the Japan Academy of Engineering, gave a presentation.
Professor Zhou Yingxin, academician of the Singapore Academy of Engineering, gave a presentation.
Professor Andrian S. Batugin, academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, gave a presentation.
Professor Carlos Carranza Torres from University of Minnesota Duluth, USA, gave a presentation.
Professor Pan Yishan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Conference Chair, gave a presentation.
Professor Pytalev Ivan Alekseevich, academician of the Russian Academy of Mining Sciences, gave a presentation.
Professor Ismet Canbulat from the University of New South Wales, Australia, gave a presentation.
Professor Alexey P. Khmelinin, Director of the Mining Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, gave a presentation.
Researcher Adama Dione from Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal, gave a presentation.
Researcher Issa Ndoye from , Senegal, gave a presentation.Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal, gave a presentation.
Ten academicians from home and abroad attended this international conference, namely Derek Elsworth (Member of the US National Academy of Engineering, Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering); Yuan Liang (Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, President of Anhui University of Science and Technology); Cui Peng (Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences); Feng Xiat ing (Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, President of Northeastern University); Yin Yueping (Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering); Pan Yishan (Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering); Chen Guangqi (Member of the Japan Academy of Engineering); Zhou Yingxin (Member of the Singapore Academy of Engineering); Andrian S. Batugin (Member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences); and Pytalev Ivan Alekseevich (Member of the Russian Academy of Mining Sciences). Delegates from ten countries including the United States, Australia, Russia, Singapore, Japan, Germany, Austria, Pakistan, Senegal and China gathered at the event, demonstrating its extensive international participation and academic influence.
Wang Tielun, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice Chairman of the Liaoning Association for Science and Technology, and Zhou Huameng, Director of the Academic & International Exchange Department of the Liaoning Association for Science and Technology, attended the opening ceremony. A host of domestic and foreign experts and scholars including Professor Ismet Canbulat from the University of New South Wales (Australia), Professor Alexey P. Khmelinin, Director of the Mining Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Professor Carlos Carranza Torres from University of Minnesota Duluth (USA) were also present.
The conference set up one main venue and three parallel sub venues, covering two Youth Scholar Forums and one Postgraduate Forum. A total of 54 high level invited keynote presentations were delivered in the main venue, while the three sub venues ran concurrently with 206 academic presentations in total. More than 500 experts, scholars and young researchers from over 80 universities, research institutes, government agencies and industrial enterprises across five continents and ten countries gathered in Shenyang. They conducted in depth and productive academic exchanges on 13 types of geohazards: earthquake, landslide, debris flow, rock burst, mine rockburst, mine earthquake, coal gas outburst, water/mud inrush, roof fall, collapse, ground subsidence, avalanche and volcanic eruption. Online academic live streaming platforms including the Geohazard Mechanics journal and the Chinese Society for Rock Mechanics and Engineering recorded a cumulative viewership of 57,000. On August 5, some participating experts visited the Fushun Coal Mine Museum in Liaoning Province for on site visits and technical exchanges.
Building on the success of the inaugural 2025 conference, the 2026 International Conference on Geohazard Mechanics represents another major academic event. Based on the interdisciplinary research paradigm of “unified framework with differentiated countermeasures” put forward at the first conference, it further consolidated academic consensus on the multi hazard unified governance framework. Volcanic eruption hazards were newly included this year, further improving the research category system for geohazards. The successful conference demonstrates the international standing of organisers in geotechnical engineering, and further builds a platform for global cooperation in hazard prevention and mitigation.
