Prof. Zijun FENG delivered the third lecture of the "Propylite" Academic Salon Series 

The third lecture of the "Propylite" academic salon series hosted by the Chinese Society for Rock Mechanics and Engineering (CSRME) was held on the morning of June 27, 2020. The Executive Director of the Youth Working Committee of CSRME, Prof. Zijun Feng from Taiyuan University of Technology, delivered a wonderful online lecture entitled "Recent progresses on the rock mechanics problems in the development of geothermal power from hot dry rocks" through "Zhuanjiabao" - a live broadcast platform for engineering experts. The academic salon was moderated by Dr. Xin Huang, the secretary in general of the Youth Working Committee of CSRME.

During the lecture, Prof. Feng firstly introduced the research background and state-of-the-art progress of China's geothermal development from hot dry rocks. Then, Prof. Feng presented some of his recent findings on the physical and mechanical properties of hot dry granite subject to different combinations of stress and temperature using the self-developed high-temperature and high-stress triaxial testing apparatus. Special attention was paid to the permeability variation of hot dry granite with stress state and temperature. The mechanism of thermal cracking and its implication to the borehole stability of dry hot granite were discussed. Finally, the feasibility of "fault-mode" geothermal development technology for hot dry rocks based on geologic and structural characteristics of hot dry rocks geothermal fields was prospected. Nearly 6600 audiences watched the lecture online and Prof. Feng and the audience had very intensive interactions at the end of the lecture. The Q&A lasted for nearly 1 hour.
The purpose of launching the online academic salon series "Propylite" is to overcome the obstacles to academic communication in this unusual period due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The salon aims at strengthening the academic communications among young scholars in rock mechanics and engineering, and stimulating the academic atmosphere.