During the Spring Festival holiday, Zhang Jinyuan arrived at Tianjin University (TJU), Peiyang Park Campus before dawn every morning. He walked toward the "big site" in the southwest of the campus, where the large-scale earthquake engineering simulation research facility, China's first major national scientific and technological infrastructure in this field, is under construction. Teachers and students also called the facility as the “big device”.

Zhang is a teacher at the School of Architecture at Tianjin University. In addition to that, he serves as the head of the engineering management department of the large-scale earthquake engineering simulation research facility management office. Every morning at 6:30, having arrived at the site on time, he would put on his helmet to check the “big device” from its inside, which takes nearly two hours. "The experimental center, six stories deep down, is 230 meters long and 120 meters wide, with a plane area of more than five football fields combined. A large number of steel embedded parts and a wading area can be found underground. The interior, therefore, is as complex as a maze." Zhang said. What he does every morning is checking those places where workers tend to make mistakes.

In 2018, the National Development and Reform Commission approved the large-scale earthquake engineering simulation research facilities led by TJU. Zhang said, "In the second half of this year, the ‘big device’ will usher in the key phrase; that is, the capping of the main project of the experimental center. At that time, the project will be home to a large number of giant equipment. How to realize the connection of civil engineering and equipment is a crucial issue that we must plan well during this winter vacation."

In order to ensure progress and quality of the project, he decided not go back home to Pingyao, a city in central China’s Shanxi Province for the Spring Festival. Zhang added, "It's the first time in more than two decades that I don't gather with my parents during the Chinese Lunar New Year. But, fortunately, my parents support my work. "

The management office, the core team for “large-scale” has more than 30 members, they make the office a pioneer to break new ground and overcome difficulties.

"Almost all staff of our office stay in Tianjin during this Spring Festival, which is called a 'scientific research year' by us." said Yang Zhenglong, a member of the office. This is the second year in a row that he spent the Lunar New Year in Tianjin. His little daughter, a one year old girl, has not yet returned to her hometown in Qingdao to see her grandparents. He also said, "We, being part of TJU, should make remarkable achievements. The ‘big device’ will become an important tool for the whole society to resist natural disasters. It's our honor and responsibility to keep improving the project.”

By: Sun Fei

Editor: Qin Mian