The online seminar on the design and construction arrangements for high-speed rail infrastructure was held by the project team of China-Indonesia Joint Research Center for High-speed Rail Technology set up by Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU) and Badan Pengkajian dan Penerapan Teknologi (BPPT) in Indonesia in the Conference Room 1210 of the Civil Engineering Building at 14:00 on September 28, 2021. At the beginning of the seminar, Waswe widodo pando, the representative of BPPT extended a warm welcome to all participants, and the head of the Institute for Technology Assessment and Applied Research delivered an opening speech. Then the representative of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Indonesia made remarks.

Then came the second session, researchers of BPPT gave an account of current problems and progress they had made and hoped to get some constructive suggestions from the Chinese side.

In the third session, the representatives of SWJTU made presentations. Zhang Yanyang, host and associate Professor made an introduction of the participants.

Then, Professor Zhao Pingrui gave a comprehensive introduction to “Slab track technology of high-speed rail in China”. Professor Zhao pointed out that the key to slab track construction is to keep high accuracy. The traditional bottom-up construction method would make the construction errors of each layer accumulate, causing the construction to go beyond the accuracy requirement of 1 mm.

Associate Professor Xu Jingmang made a presentation on “Design theories and structural technology for high-speed rail turnouts in China”, and addressed some key technical issues concerning power, reliability and adaptability etc. Professor Xu illustrated in detail in four parts: overview, theories of high-speed rail switch design, structure characteristics and conclusion.

After that, there was a Q&A session. The Indonesian participants asked two questions on the slab track, and the Chinese professors provided practical solutions. Then came the first discussion session of the seminar. Professor Zhao and Professor Xu gave detailed answers to several questions from the Indonesian participants, aiming to solve some of the existing problems in Indonesia. The Indonesian participants hoped to gain continuous support from the Chinese side in the future.

In the second half of the seminar, Professor Wang Yingxue made a presentation on his recent research about aerodynamic effect on high-speed rail in tunnel, highlighting the methods to solve the aerodynamic effects in China. Professor Wang introduced relevant research and applications in China from four aspects: the development of high-speed rail in China, the aerodynamic issues of high-speed rail, the research findings of train-tunnel aerodynamic characteristics and the prospect of high-speed rail.

Finally, he concluded that the future development of high-speed rail in China will be faster, smarter and greener.

Mr. Dong Weijie gave a report on “Development and innovation of railway tunnel in China”. Mr. Dong introduced the development and innovation of railway tunnel in China from four aspects: the development of railway tunnel in China, typical high-speed railway tunnel under construction, key innovation technology, summary and prospect.

Then came the second discussion session. The Indonesian participants mainly asked questions about the feasibility and difficulty of the undersea tunnel currently under planning by Indonesia and the solution to the aerodynamic effects on the high-speed railway tunnel. Professor Wang first answered that aerodynamic effects are improved mainly by the buffer area of the hole rather than by its shape. Then Mr. Dong commented that the proposed project is risky and not easy for experts from Indonesia and China.

Finally, the seminar ended up with Associate Professor Zhang’s conclusion. At the seminar, the development and existing problems of China's high-speed railway tunnel were introduced; achievements and directions of future development were reflected. At the same time, the seminar promoted the communication on high speed railway tunnel between China and Indonesia and provided some solutions to the construction of high-speed railway tunnel in Indonesia.