Research and practice on the operation and management of the deep underground laboratory: A case study of China Jinping Underground Laboratory

Deep underground laboratories use thick rock formations to block cosmic rays, thereby providing an ultra-low background radiation experimental environment for frontier fields such as particle physics, nuclear physics, and life sciences. They are ideal venues for cutting-edge basic scientific research. These laboratories exhibit unique characteristics in operational management, including extreme environmental conditions, interdisciplinary features, and complex risks. This paper takes the China Jinping Underground Laboratory as the research object. As a major national science and technology infrastructure facility, the laboratory possesses the deepest rock cover, the largest underground space, and the lowest cosmic ray flux in the world. Located 2,400 m underground, its total construction area and space volume are 40000 m² and 300000 m³, respectively. It has attracted scientists from more than ten leading research institutions in China, including Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Beijing Normal University, and Sichuan University.

To address the core issues in laboratory operation and management, this research focuses on analyzing the key operational management challenges based on the deep-earth characteristics of Jinping Laboratory, such as pre-management and settlement guarantee for project access, long-term maintenance of the extremely low radiation background experimental environment, safety risk management and control during laboratory operation, and the construction and management of the operation support team. This paper proposes a series of efficient and advanced management measures for project access, background environment maintenance, safety risk management and control, and support team construction. These measures include: (1) a scientific approval and resource scheduling system with hierarchical coordination, covering project approval, access, exit, and equipment installation; (2) low background safeguard measures, including radon suppression, dedicated ventilation, and radiation monitoring; (3) a safety system tailored for deep underground scenarios, supporting experimental operation, earthquake monitoring, and fire prevention; and (4) a professional operation management and support team for integrated management and implementation support.

Given the unique advantage of 2,400 m vertical rock coverage, Jinping Laboratory faces the challenge of reconstructing the management paradigm in an extreme deep-earth environment while creating an “ultra-low background” research environment. By systematically analyzing and addressing prominent issues in core dimensions such as scientific collaboration, background maintenance, safety control, and team building, this paper develops an operational management solution suitable for deep underground scenarios. This solution ensures safe, efficient, and reliable laboratory operation, helps increase high-level experimental results, and makes lab operation and management more efficient.

This research transcends the management thinking of traditional ground-based research facilities. Guided by research needs, based on safety and stability, and supported by technological innovation, it realizes the in-depth integration of scientific management and engineering operation and maintenance. The operational management practice of Jinping Laboratory will not only lay a solid foundation for its cutting-edge research but also contribute to the professional and refined operation and management of major science and technology infrastructure and provide a practical Chinese-style paradigm for operating and managing deep-earth laboratories worldwide.