Doctor SHI Genhua, the famous expert of mathematical mechanics, visits Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics Wuhan (IRSM) on Feb 24th. Doctor SHI delivers an academic speech with the topic 3D Contact Theory for Discontinuum-based Computational Mechanics. The symposium is hosted by researcher ZHENG Hong from State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Deputy Director SHENG Qian and researchers from IRSM are all present at the symposium.

Doctor SHI elaborates on the discontinuum-based computation in rock and soil mechanics in his report. Starting from the most basic set theory, SHI establishes a description system of contact relation between two discrete blocks. The method is related to block shape instead of the position of blocks. The system could not only solve problems in DDA and discrete elements, but also problems in other fields.

Doctor SHI dedicates himself to research for ten years, the theories and methods he proposed are applied in many major projects. His creative and inspiring research achievements obtains recognition. Teachers and students from IRSM discuss related problems with Doctor SHI after his speech.

SHI Genhua majored in algebraic topology; he graduated from Peking University with his Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in 1963 and 1968. SHI continued his study in America in 1980, and got his Doctor’s Degree from University of California-Berkeley in 1988. Doctor SHI is the initiator of numerical manifold method in rock and soil mechanics field; he combines topology theory with project construction and sets up Key Block Theory and Discontinuous Deformation Analysis methods in rock engineering field.