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CNERC-Rail Research Seminar: Prof. Charalampos Baniotopoulos, Emeritus Professor at the University of Birmingham, UK, and Professor at Leibniz University Hannover, Germany

CNERC-Rail Research Seminar: Prof. Zi-Qiang Lang from University of Sheffield, UK

CNERC-Rail Research Seminar: Prof. Stephen W. Tsai from Stanford University, USA

Taizhou Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau Visit to CNERC-Rail

Guangdong Huaneng Electromechanical Group Co., Ltd. Visits PolyU CNERC-Rail

On the afternoon of 24 March 2026, a delegation from Guangdong Huaneng Electromechanical Group Co., Ltd. visited the National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Center (Hong Kong Branch) (CNERC-Rail) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University for an exchange activity. The visit included a discussion session in Room R711. During the meeting, Dr. Vincent Wai Kei Ao, Dr. Si-Qi Ding, Dr. Wen-Qiang Liu, and Dr. Fei-Fei Ren welcomed the delegation and provided an overview of the Center’s development and recent research achievements. Presentations addressed key research areas, including sensor technologies, artificial intelligence, large language models (LLMs), and the Center’s collaborations with industry partners. Mr. Shao-Yuan Liu (Chairman), Mr. Bei-Zhuang Su (Vice President), and Ms. Jin-Dan Du (Business Manager) from Guangdong Huaneng Electromechanical Group Co., Ltd. introduced their company and team. Both parties engaged in substantive discussions on intelligent rail transit and related technological applications, and identified potential directions for future collaboration. Following the meeting, staff members guided the delegation on a tour of the IC Corner, other research facilities, and the campus environment of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

CNERC-Rail Research Seminar: Prof. You-He Zhou from Lanzhou University and Prof. Xiao-Jing Zheng from Xidian University, China

On the morning of 4 March 2026, the National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Centre (Hong Kong Branch) (CNERC-Rail) at PolyU hosted an academic seminar entitled “Challenges and Progress in Superconducting Multi-field Coupled Mechanics under Extreme Environments.” The seminar was held in Room Z414 at PolyU and featured Prof. You-He Zhou, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences from Lanzhou University, and Prof. Xiao-Jing Zheng, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences from Xidian University, as the invited speakers. During the seminar, Prof. Zhou introduced the research background and key scientific challenges associated with superconducting multi-field coupled mechanics under extreme environments. He highlighted the team's recent advances in the theoretical development of multi-field coupled superconducting solid mechanics, the establishment of experimental research platforms, and the development of effective solution methods for strongly nonlinear multi-field coupled mechanical problems. Prof. Zheng then focused on gas–solid two-phase turbulence in sandstorms and presented research on field observations and wind-tunnel investigations of sandstorm dynamics. She introduced long-term observational studies based on the Qingtu Lake Observation Array and discussed the statistical characteristics of turbulent structures in sandstorm flows as well as the interactions among turbulent motions at different scales. The presentation also addressed the applications of these findings in understanding wind–sand disaster mechanisms and improving numerical simulation approaches.

Delegation from Zhejiang Rail Transit Group Co., Ltd. Visits PolyU CNERC-Rail Centre

On the afternoon of 3 March 2026, a delegation from Zhejiang Rail Transit Group Co., Ltd. visited the National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Center (Hong Kong Branch) (CNERC-Rail) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University for an exchange activity. A discussion session was held in Room ZS1215, Block Z. During the meeting, Prof. Xiang-Dong Li, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, extended a warm welcome to the delegation and introduced the overall development of the Faculty of Construction and Environment. Prof. Yi-Qing Ni then presented an overview of the CNERC-Rail and its research team. Mr. Yi Zhang, Party Secretary and Chairman of Zhejiang Rail Transit Group Co., Ltd., introduced the company and its team. Both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on potential areas of collaboration and explored a framework for future cooperation. The delegation was subsequently guided by Dr. Vincent Wai Kei Ao to visit the relevant laboratories and campus facilities.

CNERC-Rail Research Seminar: Prof. Ming-Feng Huang from Guangxi University, China

On the afternoon of 10 February 2026, the National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Centre (Hong Kong Branch) (CNERC-Rail) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University successfully hosted an academic seminar entitled “Physical Simulation and Turbulence Numerical Generation of Urban Typhoon Wind Fields.” The seminar featured Prof. Ming-Feng Huang from Guangxi University as the invited speaker. During the seminar, Prof. Huang systematically introduced recent advances in the multiscale numerical simulation of urban typhoon wind fields, with a particular focus on the application of the WRF–LES coupled framework under real typhoon conditions and the analysis of wind pressure characteristics on tall buildings. Using Super Typhoon Mangkhut as a case study, he discussed the differences in wind fields between damaged and undamaged regions and examined the non-Gaussian characteristics of wind pressure. The reliability of the numerical framework was further validated through wind tunnel experiments. In addition, Prof. Huang presented a GPU-accelerated three-dimensional turbulent wind field generation method, which significantly improves the computational efficiency of turbulence generation in WRF–LES simulations. The seminar stimulated active discussions among faculty members and students, providing a valuable platform for academic exchange in urban wind environment modelling and typhoon-resilient design, and was well received by the participants.

Delegation from CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd. Visits PolyU CNERC-Rail

On the morning of 21 Jan 2026, a delegation from CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation Limited (CRRC), visited The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and held an exchange meeting with the National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Center (Hong Kong Branch) (CNERC-Rail) in Room V1003, Block V. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Yi-Qing Ni. On behalf of CNERC-Rail, Prof. Ni delivered welcoming remarks and introduced the Center’s research directions and team profile. Mr. Yang Gao then presented the organizational structure, research priorities, and technology roadmap of the Future Technology Research Department under the company’s Engineering Research Centre. Dr. Yang Lu from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hangzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute introduced the Institute’s latest research developments. In addition, Prof. S. K. Lai (Associate Professor), Dr. Xiao Wang (Postdoctoral Fellow), Ms. Xin-Yue Xu (Research Student), and Mr. Gang Zeng (Research Student) from CNERC-Rail each presented their recent research work. Both parties engaged in in-depth discussions on application scenarios for intelligent inspection systems based on multi-source sensor fusion, benchmarking of transportation-domain intelligent Q&A capabilities, small-sample time-series modeling, and PHM-related technologies. They also exchanged views on AI algorithms and system architectures, explored potential collaboration models, and discussed preliminary pathways for joint research and technical collaboration.

CNERC-Rail Research Seminar: Prof. Giuseppe Lacidogna from Politecnico di Torino, Italy

On the morning of Jan 14, 2026, the National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Center (Hong Kong Branch) (CNERC-Rail) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University successfully hosted an academic seminar titled "Eco-Friendly and Self-Healing Construction Materials: Mechanical Testing and Acoustic Emission Analysis". The seminar featured Prof. Giuseppe Lacidogna from the Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy, as the keynote speaker. He systematically presented the latest research progress in eco-friendly self-healing construction materials, the crucial role of Acoustic Emission (AE) in non-destructive testing, and the high-value utilisation pathways of industrial waste rubber, ceramic waste, and volcanic ash in cement-based and alkali-activated materials. During the event, Prof. Lacidogna also shared case studies on AE-based crack-mechanism identification, the evaluation of self-healing capsule repair efficiency, and the multi-technological joint monitoring of thermal repair in carbon fiber composites. These presentations demonstrated a full-chain research paradigm from laboratory mix design to performance verification of actual structural components, sparking lively discussions among the attending faculty and students. The lecture provided a valuable platform for academic exchange on green construction materials and structural health monitoring, earning unanimous praise from the participants.