On 6-7 November Tula State University hosts XX International Conference on problems of mining industry, construction and energy ‘Socio-economic and environmental problems of mining industry, construction and energy’ and XIV International Scientific and Practical Conference of young scientists and students ‘Experience of the past - a look into the future’ in hybrid format.

The scientific events are organised by Tula State University, Belarusian National Technical University and Donetsk National Technical University.

Researchers from Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Sverdlovsk region, Donetsk, St. Petersburg and Tula take part in the conferences.

The St. Petersburg Mining University of Empress Catherine II is represented by Yegor Litovkin, a fourth-year student of Mining Machines and Equipment at the Mechanical Engineering Faculty, Lev Sopochkin, a third-year student of the same major, Sofya Barkovskaya, a third-year student of the Construction Faculty, and Pavel Belekhov, a postgraduate student of the Production Safety Department.

- At the conference, I am presenting a report ‘Mechanised extraction of gas hydrates’, prepared under the scientific supervision of Denis Aleksandrovich Zadkov, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Department. My work is about the extraction of gas hydrates from the seabed, - said Yegor. - I am considering promising methods of development - drilling and mechanised methods. The latter, in particular, include degassing and excavation with chambers. 

He himself, the student said, is taking part in the conference on the basis of Tula State University for the first time.

- On behalf of the guys who came to Tula with me, I would like to say that this is new knowledge, new acquaintances and, of course, exchange of experience for all of us,’ Yegor emphasised.

Ilya Mikheev, a first-year postgraduate student in ‘Mining Engineering’ of the Institute of Mining Engineering and Construction of TulSU, studies under the scientific supervision of Viktor Petrovich Safronov, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor of the Department ‘Mechanics of Materials and Geotechnologies’.

- My report is entitled ‘Technological innovation in the field of development of construction sand deposits’,’ said the young researcher. - Currently, the needs in construction materials cannot be fully met due to the lack of new deposits. Some operating quarries are being reworked, others require reconstruction in order to reduce the cost of production. The rising price of such products leads to the rise in the price of flats and other construction projects. I propose a method of extraction of building sands as a kind of building materials, allowing to reduce the land intensity of extraction. The essence of it is to use deep boreholes and wells, i.e. to extract sands from great depths.

...The plenary session was opened by Roman Anatolyevich Kovalev, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Director of the Institute of Mining Engineering and Construction. 

Today's scientific event, he emphasised, is jubilee not only by the number of years it has been held. The conference is dedicated to the 150th anniversary of birth of the Russian and Soviet scientist in the field of mining, professor, teacher, academician of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR Alexander Alexandrovich Skochinskiy, the 100th anniversary of the All-Russian Society for Nature Conservation and the 10th anniversary of the Institute of Mining and Construction of TulSU. These dates are considered to be significant in the scale of both our country and the whole Tula region.

True to its traditions, the conference is dynamically developing, and the geography of its participants is constantly growing. The Belarusian National Technical University and Donetsk National Technical University have been true friends and partners of Tula State University throughout this time. 

Well, the range of topics, laid 20 years ago in the subject basis of the conference, is constantly reflected in the publications.

All participants were warmly welcomed by Mikhail Sergeyevich Vorotilin, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Vice-Rector of TulSU for Scientific Work.

The conference, he noted, is called to contribute to the solution of very important and urgent problems. It unites good friends, new regions and countries on its platform.

In 1963, continued the Vice-Rector, a significant event took place in Tula - the merger of Tula Mechanical Institute and Tula Mining Institute into Tula Polytechnic Institute. Our university went through several stages of formation before growing into Tula State University.

Currently TulSU is a participant of three federal projects – “Priority 2030”, “Professionalism” and “Advanced Engineering School”. The Institute of Mining Engineering and Construction is actively involved in the general and very important work and successfully implements the environmental direction.

The conference, Mikhail Sergeyevich emphasised, is not only an opportunity to report, but also to learn new things from senior colleagues, to establish scientific ties with their peers. This communication can become a worthy basis for further successful cooperation.

Sergey Borshevsky, Vice-Rector for Research, Head of the Department of Construction of Buildings, Underground Structures and Geomechanics of Donetsk National Technical University, addressed the participants via videoconference. On behalf of the rector of his university, he wished everyone fruitful work. 

At the plenary session there were reports dedicated to significant dates, as well as professional issues in the field of mining, construction and energy.

Doctor of Technical Sciences, Head of the Department “Mechanics of Materials and Geotechnologies” Sergey Vladimirovich Antsiferov and Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor of the same department Vladimir Ivanovich Sarychev shared their experience in the implementation of the bachelor's degree programme “Oil and Gas Engineering”, which was enrolled for the first time this year at Tula State University.

The conference work continued in six sections: “Geomechanics, mechanics of underground structures, geotechnologies”, “Technosphere safety and ecology”, “Geoengineering and cadaster”, “Perspective directions of development of engineering and technology in construction”, “Theory and practice of engineering systems of heat and gas supply and ventilation, water supply and drainage”, ‘Urban construction, architecture and design’.

Tomorrow the participants will visit the facilities of the Institute of Mining and Construction, its academic and industrial partners - the BRAER plant, Tula Regional Centre for Urban Design, the Training Centre of JSC “Perspektiva”, “Tulaorgtekhstroy” LTD, Skuratovskiy Experimental Plant, and the Environmental Centre of TulSU.

They will discuss technologies of road pavement production and application of reinforced concrete structures in construction, modern problems of territorial planning, geotechnologies and problems of geoecology, new models for calculation of spatial reinforced concrete structures, technical aspects and functional capabilities of the Russian BIM-system Renga for complex architectural and construction design, modern purification systems of Research and Production Association (RPA) Etek Ltd (Kaluga), modelling of atmospheric air pollution by emissions of industrial enterprises, 

Tatyana Krikunkova

Photographs by Mikhail Gindin