The organizers of the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva recently announced the award results. A project led by Professor Jiang Nan at Jianghan University’s State Key Laboratory of Precision Blasting (the Laboratory) won a gold medal. The project is entitled “Solid-waste-based, energy-absorbing grouting material with low stress-wave transmittance for blasting vibration attenuation curtains and a method for designing curtain parameters(Matériau de rideau d'injection à base de déchets solides à faible perméabilité et forte capacité d'absorption d'énergie, et méthode de conception de ses paramètres)”.
The project was a collaborative effort involving Xie Xianqi, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Professors Jia Yongsheng, Yao Yingkang and Jiang Nan, and other researchers. Jianghan University was the lead institution for the project, which was jointly developed with China Railway 16th Bureau Group Co., Ltd.
Gold Medal Certificate from the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva
Gold Medal from the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva
Founded in 1972, the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva is held under the patronage of the Swiss Government and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is one of the world's largest and most influential professional exhibitions in the fields of invention, innovation, and intellectual property. Together with iENA in Nuremberg, Germany, and INPEX in Pittsburgh, the United States, the Geneva exhibition is commonly described as one of the world's three major invention fairs. Often dubbed the “Olympics of Invention”, it provides an international platform for showcasing innovations from around the world.
The 2026 exhibition was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from March 11 to 15, featuring more than 1,040 inventions from 40 countries and regions. The exhibition focused on frontier fields such as low carbon, intelligence, and sustainability, and showcased the latest achievements in scientific and technological innovation across various fields worldwide. After comprehensive evaluation by the international jury, the Chinese delegation won a total of 90 gold medals, 95 silver medals, and 52 bronze medals.
The award-winning project focuses on the precise control of blast-induced vibration, a key research area of the Laboratory. To address the urgent need for safe blasting in complex environments, the team developed a new grouting material incorporating solid waste, with low stress-wave transmittance and energy-absorbing properties, by precisely controlling the raw-material mix proportions. The team developed a model to predict the vibration attenuation provided by grout curtains installed without open trench excavation and quantified the relationship between structural safety indicators and curtain parameters. It also proposed a method for designing the parameters of vibration-attenuating grout curtains to support environmentally friendly, low-carbon construction. Together, these advances enable precise vibration isolation and attenuation during blasting in complex, sensitive environments.
These innovations are based on the developers’ own intellectual property. The research has yielded more than 10 granted invention patents, more than 30 papers indexed in SCI and/or EI, and several monographs and technical standards. The research has also received several industry awards for scientific and technological achievement. The technologies have been successfully applied in major blasting projects in Beijing, Wuhan, Qingdao, Guangzhou and other cities, delivering significant economic and social benefits. These applications support environmentally friendly, low-carbon urban construction and help accelerate urban renewal and development.
The gold medal recognizes the project’s high degree of originality and substantial value for engineering applications. It also highlights the ability of the Laboratory’s research team, led by Academician Xie Xianqi, to compete at a world-class level. In the future, the team will continue to address the need for safe, efficient, environmentally friendly, low-carbon blasting. It will intensify research on critical technologies and apply its findings to major national engineering projects, enabling precision blasting to better serve society and benefit humanity.
Certificates for Selected Key Patents Related to the Award-Winning Technology
Selected Key Patents Related to the Award-Winning Technology:
[1] Jiang Nan, Xie Xianqi, Yang Yumin, Yao Yingkang, Jia Yongsheng, Sun Jinshan, et al. Parameter Design Method for Grouting Curtains Used for Structural Protection under Blasting Vibration[P]. Chinese Patent: ZL 202411597284.7. 2025-08-22. (Invention Patent)
[2] Jiang Nan, Xie Xianqi, Zou Zhen, Han Fengjun, Yao Yingkang, Jia Yongsheng, et al. Proportioning Design Method for Low-Transmittance and Energy-Absorbing Curtain Grouting Materials[P]. Chinese Patent: ZL202411637206.5. 2025-09-05. (Invention Patent)
[3] Jiang Nan, Xie Xianqi, Zou Zhen, Qu Xiaodi, Yao Yingkang, Jia Yongsheng, et al. Method for a Grouting Curtain Model Test System Used for Vibration Control of Underground Pipelines[P]. Chinese Patent: ZL202411637262.9. 2025-09-09. (Invention Patent)
