China has introduced a powerful new hypergravity research machine capable of generating forces nearly 2,000 times stronger than Earth’s gravity, setting a new global record in laboratory simulation technology.
The system, named CHIEF1900, has been installed at the Centrifugal Hypergravity and Interdisciplinary Experiment Facility at Zhejiang University in eastern China, according to reports cited by Futurism and the South China Morning Post.
The machine allows scientists to study how extreme gravitational forces affect materials, biological organisms, and large-scale structures under controlled laboratory conditions.
CHIEF1900 Enables Laboratory Simulation of Natural Disasters
Once fully operational, CHIEF1900 will enable researchers to recreate catastrophic scenarios, including dam failures, earthquakes, landslides, and infrastructure collapse, without the risks associated with real-world testing.
By using scaled physical models, scientists can simulate how full-size structures would behave under intense stress. For example, a 10-foot dam model spun at 100 Gs can replicate the forces acting on a nearly 1,000-foot real-world dam, allowing engineers to test safety limits more precisely.
Applications in Infrastructure, Environment, and Transportation
Beyond disaster modeling, the hypergravity centrifuge will support research across multiple disciplines, including:
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Structural stability of mega infrastructure projects
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Resonance behavior of high-speed rail tracks
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Long-term movement of pollutants through soil layers
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Plant and cellular responses to extreme gravitational stress
These experiments could improve safety standards, urban planning, and environmental protection strategies, particularly in regions vulnerable to natural hazards.
CHIEF1900 Surpasses Previous Global Record Holders
The newly commissioned CHIEF1900 system has officially exceeded the capabilities of its own predecessor, CHIEF1300, which became the world’s most powerful centrifuge only months earlier.
CHIEF1900 can generate up to 1,900 g-tonnes of force, meaning it can exert gravitational pressure equivalent to 1,900 times Earth’s gravity. In contrast, common household devices such as washing machines typically produce only about two g-tonnes during spin cycles.
Strategic Importance for Engineering and Scientific Research
Experts say hypergravity facilities like CHIEF1900 play a critical role in next-generation engineering design, particularly for hydropower dams, nuclear facilities, transportation corridors, and underground construction.
By enabling faster, safer testing of long-term physical processes, such technology reduces dependence on expensive field experiments and improves predictive accuracy in risk assessment models.
