Ren-Peng Chen, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, vice president of Hunan University, director of the Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Advanced Underground Space Technologies and Intelligent Equipment, and professor of geotechnical engineering in the College of Civil Engineering at Hunan University, has been named a fellow by the ASCE Board of Direction.
Specializing in geotechnical engineering, Chen's research focuses on deformation-related soil arching theories and their applications in pile-supported embankments, tunneling, and underground space technologies. He has led over 100 research projects funded by national agencies including NSFC, MOST, and MOE, along with provincial governments and industry partners. His scholarly output includes 300 peer-reviewed publications, 50 granted national invention patents, and two U.S. PCT patents. One patented technology was commercialized through the establishment of an environmental protection company. He has spearheaded the development of six regional and association-initiated design standards for tunneling and underground space technologies.
Internationally recognized, Chen serves on the editorial boards of 12 journals, among them Transportation Geotechnics and Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering. His professional affiliations include membership in the Technical Committee of Geotechnical Infrastructure for Megacities and New Capitals (TC305), Asian Regional Technical Committee of Urban Geotechnics of ISSMGE, and chairmanship of the Technical Committee of Underground Structure Strengthening of Asia Concrete Federation (ACF).
With extensive industry collaboration, Chen has consulted on over 100 projects across China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Pakistan, and India, specializing in underground structure risk assessment, intelligent construction, and deep foundation design. His current engagements include establishing an intelligent construction platform for shield tunneling with China Construction Fifth Engineering Division Corp. Ltd (Fortune Global 500 company) and China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Corp. Ltd.
Chen’s academic career progressed from assistant professor to full professor in Zhejiang University's Department of Civil Engineering (1997-2015). He subsequently served as dean of the College of Civil Engineering (2015-2018) and assistant vice chancellor (2020-2022) at Hunan University. His international engagements include visiting scholar positions at Purdue University (2004-2005), Case Western Reserve University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and IFCO Foundation Expertise BV in the Netherlands.
His honors include Elsevier's Highly Cited Chinese Researcher (2020-2024), Best Paper Award at 2013 ISEV, ASCE Forensic Engineering Division's Outstanding Journal Paper Award (2015), and the Mao Yisheng Science and Technology Youth Award for Geotechnical Engineering.
He earned his bachelor's degree in highway and bridge engineering from Hunan University in 1994, followed by a master's degree (1997) and doctoral degree (2001) in geotechnical engineering from Zhejiang University. Chen has maintained his licensed professional engineer certification in geotechnical engineering since 2006.
