The Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering was established in 1979 as China's pioneering nationwide and comprehensive academic publication in the field of geotechnical engineering. Under the auspices of the China Association for Science and Technology, it is jointly organized by esteemed entities such as the Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Society, the China Civil Engineering Society, the Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, the Architectural Society of China, the China Society for Hydropower Engineering, and the Chinese Society for Vibration Engineering. Hosted by the Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, its editorial office is situated in Nanjing. The journal serves as a platform for disseminating cutting-edge scientific research and engineering practices, embodying advanced theories and methodologies in soil mechanics, rock mechanics, and geotechnical engineering. It delves into geotechnical issues spanning water conservation, civil engineering, transportation, and environmental preservation. Eminent scholars contribute to its content through the Huang Wenxi Lecture series, research papers, brief articles, focused forums, and discussions.

Initially published quarterly from 1980 to 1983, the Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering transitioned to a bimonthly format in 1984 and subsequently to a monthly publication from 2005 onwards. Over its history, the journal has convened thirteen editorial boards, with leading figures in geotechnical mechanics and engineering assuming roles such as Academician Huang Wenxi, Professor Qian Jiahuan, Academician Zhou Jing, Academician Shen Zhujiang, Professor Yin Zongze, and Professor Chen Shengshui serving as directors of the editorial board. Meanwhile, Academician Huang Wenxi, Professorate Senior Engineer Jiang Pengnian, Professorate Senior Engineer Wei Rulong, Academician Shen Zhujiang, Professorate Senior Engineer Chen Shengshui, and Professorate Senior Engineer Cai Zhengyin have successively served as editors-in-chief.

As of October 2022, the Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering has continuously published 44 volumes, totaling 383 issues and disseminating 10,412 academic articles across various disciplines. The journal has showcased numerous representative works by renowned experts in geotechnical mechanics and engineering in China, including Academician Shen Zhujiang, Academician Qian Qihu, Academician Zheng Yingren, Academician Ge Xiurun, Academician Chen Zuyu, Academician Gong Xiaonan, and Academician Kong Xianjing, as well as Professor Xie Dingyi, Professor Yin Zongze, Professorate Senior Engineer Bao Chenggang, and Professor Yu Maohong. These works have garnered citations exceeding 500 times, with the highest citation exceeding 2,000 times. Established in 1998, the Huang Wenxi Lecture series has held 26 lectures to date, published 35 lecture papers, and organized 18 academic seminars. The journal's compound total citation frequency has reached up to 22,972, with a compound impact factor peaking at 2.497. Ranked third among civil engineering journals by the Journal Clout Index (CI), out of nearly 170 journals, the Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering attained a T1 rating in the Chinese high-quality journal classification in 2020, specifically in the fields of water conservancy and construction science. In 2018, the journal entered the Q2 zone of influential journals in the civil engineering category worldwide, and from 2019 to 2021, it consistently maintained its position in the Q1 zone.