Special issue on 17th International Conference on Pipelines and Trenchless Technology (ICPTT 2026)

Introduction

Amid the rapid transformation of engineering and technology, the pipeline industry is reckoning with robotics, novel sensors, intelligent algorithms, and trenchless technologies. Against this backdrop, the International Conference on Pipelines and Trenchless Technology (ICPTT) serves as a global platform where researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and industry leaders share ideas, industry directions, and solutions.

To facilitate the dissemination and application of the latest academic achievements from the conference, JPSE has been designated as the media partner for "ICPTT 2026" (October 14–17, 2026, Guiyang, China). A special issue of JPSE, dedicated to ICPTT 2026, will be published in No. 5, 2027 (October 2027), showcasing outstanding research contributions to the field.

Based on the ICPTT 2026 conference theme "Innovation, Resilience, Sustainability: Toward a New Future for Modern Pipeline Infrastructure", this special issue focuses on (but not limited to) the following research areas:

1. Energy and Utility Pipeline Systems;

2. Trenchless Technologies;

3. Lifeline System Engineering and Hazard Mitigation;

4. Pipeline Resilience, Sustainability, and Lifecycle Management;

5. Advanced Monitoring, Inspection, and Assessment for Buried and Subsea Pipelines and Risers;

6. AI and Digitalization in Pipeline Engineering;

7. Smart Pipeline Systems (IoT, Digital Twins, Autonomous Inspection)

Submission Instructions

1. Open to all conference contributors (whether or not making presentation);

2. Also open to worldwide scholars who may not attend the conference but whose areas are highly relevant;

3. Manuscripts must be original, unpublished works;

4. Open for Submission: from June 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027;

5. All submitted manuscripts will undergo rigorous double-blind peer review, with acceptance based solely on academic originality, innovation, and significance.

Submission Process

1. Official submission system of JPSE: https://www.editorialmanager.com/jpse

2. When submitting a manuscript, please make sure to select the article type "VSI: ICPTT 2026" (VSI: Virtual Special Issue) in the system.

3. Manuscripts must strictly adhere to the Guide for Authors of JPSE, available on the journal's homepage: https://www.keaipublishing.com/en/journals/journal-of-pipeline-science-and-engineering/guide-for-authors

4. Please provide the ICPTT 2026 paper number (if available) in the remarks section when submitting a manuscript.

Guest Editors

Professor Xin Feng, School of Infrastructure Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, China. Email: fengxin@dlut.edu.cn

Professor Baosong Ma, School of Civil Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, China

Professor Peng Xie, School of Ocean Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, China

Researcher Fei Wang, Shanghai Institute of Disaster Prevention and Relief, Tongji University, China

Professor Niannian Wang, School of Water Conservancy and Transportation, Zhengzhou University; Yellow River Laboratory, China

Researcher Hongfang Lu, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

Associate Professor Sheng Huang, School of Civil Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, China

Dr. Minghao Li, School of Infrastructure Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, China