Academic research and contributions on karst made by Academician Lu Yaoru

Lu Yaoru, an academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, has been devoting all his life on the research on karst geology since 1950s. He carried out a systematic research on karst development regulations especially on the compounded karst processes and mechanism of karstification developed in sulphate and carbonate rocks. He also contributed much on hydrological, engineering and environmental geology issues in karst areas. He took part in and gave much guidance for exploratory studies on hydraulic and hydroelectric engineering, including hundreds of hydro-junction projects, such as the Three-gorge Dam, Wujiangdu Reservoir, and Xin’anjiang hydropower station, etc, in Yangtz River, Yellow River, Zhujiang River and Huaihe River catchments. He was also involved in study on engineering geology and environmental geology exploration referring transportation, towns and mines. Professor Lu advanced various hydrodynamic conditions, the mechanism of three-phase flow relations, mixed corrosions etc. In addition, he introduced new concepts including geo-ecological environment, rocky desertification and made the suggestions to develop research on these fields and the control of geological disasters in karsts areas. Professor Lu established a systematic theory on the karst development and its engineering effect, making great contribution to karst development and disaster prevention and control.