Jidong Zhao

Ph.D., Professor, HKUST

Director for Computational Granular Mechanics Lab

MOE Chang Jiang Scholars Chair Professor (教育部長江學者獎勵計劃講座教授)
Editor for Computers and Geotechnics
Editor for Granular Matter
Associate Editor for ASCE Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Jidong's photo

Biograph


Jidong Zhao is Professor of Computational Geomechanics in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director of Computational Granular Mechanics Lab at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He is holding a Chang Jiang Scholar Chair Professorship conferred by the Ministry of Education, China (教育部長江學者獎勵計劃講座教授, 2021-2024) and a Distinguished Visiting Professorship of Tsinghua University. He earned both his bachelor degree and PhD from Tsinghua University. Prior to joining HKUST in 2008, he spent five years, first as a research fellow and then a University Lecturer, at the University of Newcastle, Australia.

Dr. Zhao's research focuses on developing scalable computational methods for comprehensive simulation, analysis, and comprehension of the intricate multiscale mechanics and physics of granular media systems. His work contributes significantly to understanding the fundamental behaviors that impact various engineering and industrial processes. He is renowned for his innovative micromechanics models and computational multiscale modeling approaches for saturated and partially saturated granular media. His research sheds light on the complex connections between grain-scale and pore-scale physics, encompassing particle morphology, frictional contact, sliding and rolling, and multi-phase pore fluid flows, that account for intriguing phenomena such as strain localization, liquefaction, anisotropy, collapse, failure, and phase transitions in granular media.

The computational tools developed by Dr. Zhao offer cutting-edge predictive and design capabilities, addressing critical geohazards like foundation and embankment failures, landslides, debris flows, and providing solutions for challenges related to climate change and energy crises, such as deep underground carbon sequestration and safe offshore energy extraction (e.g., methane gas hydrate), and thawing-induced permafrost melting. He integrates his computational tools to create an advanced physics-based scientific computing platform, enhanced by data science, machine learning, and sensing technology, to develop futuristic digital twin applications for engineering and industrial processes. Moreover, his team has made significant advancements in providing innovative computational solutions for metal additive manufacturing and pharmaceutical tablet manufacturing.

Currently, Dr. Zhao serves as a co-Editor-in-Chief for Computers and Geotechnics (Elsevier), editor for Granular Matter (Springer), and associate editor for the Journal of Engineering Mechanics (ASCE). He is also on the editorial boards of the International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics (Wiley), Acta Geotechnica (Springer), Computational Particle Mechanics (Elsevier), and Science Progress (SAGE). He holds leadership roles in international geomechanics committees and serves as grant assessor for funding agencies including ERC, DFG, NSERC, ARC, NCN, and RGC. Dr Zhao's research is supported by various funding bodies, including the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Croucher Foundation, and the K.C. Wong Education Foundation, among others. In 2024, he was awarded a theme-based research project totally HK$62.893 millions from RGC to develop a groundbreaking digital twin coast for Hong Kong. Dr Zhao has authored over 170 papers in peer-reviewed journals and 150 conference papers, with over 10,600 citations on Google Scholar and a h-index of 57. He has delivered over 120 invited keynotes or lectures on occasions of international conferences or in top institutes. He has received multiple prestigious awards, including the Excellent Ph.D. Thesis Award from Tsinghua University, the University of Newcastle Research Fellowship Award, the "Scott Sloan Best Paper Award" in 2018 and 2021, the Granular Matter "Top 5 Cited Articles" Award in 2018, the first-class Natural Science Award of MOE in 2021, and the JSPS Invitational Fellowship in 2023. He was appointed as a "Distinguished Visiting Professor" by Tsinghua University in 2024. Dr Zhao has supervised over 20 postgraduate students (including 15 Ph.D. students) and 20 postdoctoral fellows. He teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate level courses at HKUST.

Current Lab Members

Shiwei's photo

Dr Shiwei Zhao

VPRDO Research Assistant Professor ceswzhao@ust.hk

Dr. Shiwei Zhao is currently VPRDO Research Assistant Professor at HKUST. Shiwei earned a joint Ph.D. from South China University of Technology and Oregon State University in 2018. He has developed an international reputation on multiscale, multiphysics modeling of granular media and non-spherical DEM simulations. His open source non-spherical DEM code SudoDEM (visit github) is open for free download. Shiwei works closely with Jidong to co-supervise research students and solicit external fundings.

Deyun's photo

Dr Deyun Liu

VPRDO Research Assistant Professor deyunliu@ust.hk

Dr. Deyun Liu is VPRDO Research Assistant Professor at HKUST. He received his bachelor’s degree from Tongji University, MSc and MPhil degrees from the University of Hong Kong, and earned his PhD from Imperial College London in Sep. 2022. He joined the Lab as a RAP in January 2023. He works on developing numerical modeling to capture the complex aggregate characteristics of granular materials.

Chenhao's photo

Dr Hao Chen

Postdoc Fellow, cechenhao@ust.hk

Dr. Hao Chen obtained his joint PhD degree from South China University of Technology and the Technical University of Munich in 2023. He joined the lab as a postdoctoral fellow in February 2024 and is working on the multiscale modeling (DEM x MPM) of granular materials, incorporating particle shape and thermal-mechanical effects.

Jianyu's photo

Dr Jianyu Chen

Postdoc fellow, chenjianyu@ust.hk

Dr Jianyu Chen earned his PhD from the University of Waterloo in October 2019. He joined the lab as a postdoctoral fellow in August 2024 and is working on the development of a GPU-accelerated FVM-SPH method for shock-structure interaction and dynamic fracture propagation.

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Dr Ruofeng FENG

Postdoc Fellow, ruofengfeng@ust.hk

Dr Ruofeng Feng earned his PhD from the University of Manchester in September 2023. He joined the lab as a postdoctoral fellow in November 2024. His research interests include adaptivity in meshfree methods and SPH modelling of fluid-soil-structure interactions.

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Dr Mengli LI

Postdoc Fellow, menglili@ust.hk

Dr Mengli Li earned his bachelor's degree in July 2018 and his PhD in June 2024, both from Tongji University, China. He joined our lab as a postdoctoral fellow in October 2024. His research interests focus on DEM modeling of hydraulic fracturing in fractured rock masses and fluid-solid coupling in granular materials.

Tao's photo

Dr Tao YU

Postdoc Fellow, tyuak@connect.ust.hk

Tao obtained both his bachelor with honour from Southeast University, China and his Ph.D. from HKUST in 2023. He rejoined the Lab as a Postdoc fellow in Nov 2024 after working temporarily as a software engineer. He works on coupled CFD-DEM modeling for advanced material science and manufacturing.

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Dr Xin Zhou

Postdoc Fellow, zhouxin@ust.hk

Dr. Xin Zhou earned his PhD from Beijing Institute of Technology in June 2022. After his Ph.D., he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Tsinghua University from June 2022 to December 2024,. He joined our lab as a postdoctoral fellow in January 2025. His research interests focus on the nonlocal methods, stress integration algorithm, and constitutive modeling on geomaterials.

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Dr Mengqi WANG

Postdoc Fellow, wangmq@ust.hk

Dr. Mengqi Wang obtained his PhD degree from Swansea University (UK) in 2025. He joined the lab as a postdoctoral fellow in August 2025 and is working on developing machine learning-aided multiscale modelling (FEMXML) for granular materials.

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Dr Shuihao ZHANG

Postdoc Fellow, shzhangce@ust.hk

Dr. Shuaihao Zhang received his Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering from The University of Hong Kong in August 2025 and joined our Lab as a postdoctoral fellow in September 2025. His research focuses on developing stable and efficient Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics for solids and fluids, with applications to elastic materials, elastoplastic granular media, and multiphase flows.

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Dr Jidu YU

Postdoc Fellow, jidu.yu@connect.ust.hk

Jidu obtained both his bachelor and master degrees from Hohai University, and recently earned his PhD from HKUST in August 2025. He stays in the lab as a postdoc fellow and continues to work on thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling for granular system that may undergo phase transition for simulation of methane hydrate bearing sediment and permafrost.

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Changyi YANG

Ph.D. student, cyangbe@connect.ust.hk Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellow (2022-)

Changyi obtained his bachelor degree from Central South University in 2019 and his master degree from Tongji University in July 2022, both with first-class honours. He won the prestigious 2022 Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship (HKPF) and joins our Lab as a Ph.D. student in August 2022.

Zhang's photo

Zhang CHENG

Ph.D. student, zchengar@connect.ust.hk

Zhang obtained his bachelor degree from Tianjin University in 2019 and his master degree from Zhejiang University in 2022. He joins our Lab as a Ph.D. student in August 2023, working on multiphysics, multiscale modeling of granular media.

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Wentao WANG

Ph.D. student, wentao.wang@connect.ust.hk

Wentao obtained his bachelor’s degree from Central South University in 2018 and his master’s degree from Tongji University in 2021. Before joining the Lab as a research student in August 2023, he worked as a software engineer in a technology company. He joined the lab in Fall 2023 and will focus his research on multiscale modeling of thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical processes in granular media.

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Jianchuan YANG

Ph.D. student, jyangea@connect.ust.hk

Jianchuan obtained both his bachelor and master degrees from Tianjin University in July 2024. He joined our Lab as a research student, working on physics-guided data-driven modeling methods for digital twin applications.

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Xiaonan SHANG

Ph.D. student, xshangac@connect.ust.hk Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellow (2025-)

Xioanan obtained his bachelor degree from Central South University in 2020 and his master degree from Zhejiang University in 2023. He joined our Lab as a research student in 2024 and received the Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship in 2025, working on ground-breaking digital twin modeling and prediction for civil engineering.

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Yibo MA

Ph.D. student, ymacy@connect.ust.hk Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellow (2025-)

Yibo earned his bachelor degree from Central South University in 2022 and his master degree from Peking University in 2025. He won the prestigious Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellow and joined our Lab as a Ph.D. student in August 2025, working on multiphysics, multiscale modeling of Metal Additive Manufacturing.

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Xiaoying CHEN

Ph.D. student, xchenjm@connect.ust.hk

Xiaoying obtained her bachelor?s degree from Hohai University in 2022 and her master?s degree from Nanjing University in 2025. She joined our Lab as a Ph.D. student in August 2025, focusing on multiphase coupling and large-deformation modeling of wave?soil?structure interactions in coastal engineering.

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Yuxuan XIA

Ph.D. student, yxiabp@connect.ust.hk

Yuxuan obtained his bachelor degree from Central South University in 2022 and his master degree from Tongji University in 2025. He joins our Lab as a Ph.D student in 2025, working on machine learning algorithms that integrate digital and physical twins.

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Jiayu LIN

Ph.D. student, jiayu.lin@connect.ust.hk

Jiayu obtained his bachelor?s degree from China University of Geoscience in 2021 and his master?s degree from Tianjin University in 2024. After working as a research assistant at the Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, CAS for one year, he joined the Lab as a Ph.D. student in August 2025. His thesis focuses on digital twin modeling and granular mechanics.

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Xiaodong ZHANG

Ph.D. student, xzhangjw@connect.ust.hk

Xiaodong obtained his B.Eng. degree with distinction from McMaster University in May 2025. He joined our Lab as a Ph.D. student in August 2025, focusing his research on uncertainty quantification (UQ) of physical and predictive data for the Coastal Digital Twin Project.

Visiting Scholars

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Dr Yongzheng ZHANG

Visiting Research Fellow yzzhang@ust.hk

Dr. Yongzheng Zhang received his Ph.D. from Bauhaus University Weimar in October 2022 and joined the lab as a visiting research fellow in March 2025. His research focuses on dual-horizon peridynamics, the nonlocal operator method (NOM), and phase-field fracture modeling.

Lab Alumni

Lab Graduates

  • Jidu YU (PhD, 2025): Thesis Title: "Multiscale modeling of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical behavior of granular media"

  • Renee Agnes O. Vizmanos (M.Phil, 2024): Thesis Title: "High-fidelity computational modeling of coastal engineering problems by fully resolved CFD-DEM"

  • Quan KU (PhD, 2024): Thesis Title: "Multisphysics computational modeling of the compactive behavior of cohesive powders and soft granular matter"

  • Ke SHI (PhD, 2023): Thesis Title: "Multiscale modelling of crushable granular media"

  • Tao YU (PhD, 2023): Thesis Title: "Multiscale modeling of powder-based laser additive manufacturing"

  • Amiya Prakash Das (PhD, 2022): Thesis Title: "Micromechanical modelling of triphasic granular system"

  • Terry Ho Yin Leung (MPhil, 2022): Thesis Title: "3D Numerical Modelling of Bouldery Debris Flows and their Interaction with Mitigation Structures"

  • Weijian Liang (PhD, 2020): Thesis Title: "Multiscale modeling of large deformation in geomechanics"

  • Yong Kong (PhD, 2020): Thesis Title: "Computational modeling and analysis of multiphase geophysical flows interacting with resisting structures"

  • Fan Zhu (PhD, 2019; HKPF, 2015-19): Thesis Title: "Multiscale modeling of grain crushing in granular media"

  • Zhijie Yu (M.Phil, 2019): Thesis Title: "Data-driven approach for DEM-based multiscale modeling of granular media"

  • Huanran Wu (PhD, 2018): Thesis Title: "Multiscale modeling of localized deformation in high-porosity granular rocks"

  • Xingyue Li (PhD, 2018; HKPF, 2014-18): Thesis Title: "Computational modeling of debris flows and their interaction with resisting barriers based on a coupled CFD-DEM approach"

  • Tong Shan (PhD, 2015): Thesis Title: "Coupled CFD-DEM modeling of fluid-particle interaction in geomechanics"

  • Zhaochen Liu (MPhil, 2015): Thesis Title: "Micromechanical study of mechanical behavior of granular media accounting for the role of particle shape"

  • Ning Guo (PhD, 2014): Thesis Title: "Multiscale characterization of the shear behavior of granular media". (Now "100-talents Program" Professor, Zhejiang University, China

  • Jinfeng Wei (MPhil, 2013): Theisis Title: "Experimental Investigation of the Behavior of Fibre-reinforced Sand"

  • Zhiwei Gao (PhD, 2012): Thesis Title: "Constitutive Modeling of Anisotropic Behavior in Geomaterials: the Role of Fabric" (Now Senior Lecturer at University of Glasgow)
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RAP/Postdoc Fellows

  • Tongming QU (5/2022-8/2025), former RAP, now Full Professor at Wuhan University

  • Xi Wang (2/2023-2/2024), now postdoc at Hong Kong Polytechnic University

  • Zhengshou Lai (2/2021-2/2023, Hong Kong Scholars Program), now associate professor at Sun Yat-Sen University

  • Weijian Liang (8/2020-7/2022), now Full Professor at Shenzhen University

  • Fan Zhu (8/2019-4/2022), now Associate Professor at Kyoto University

  • Yiqiu Zhao (8/2020-8/2021), now postdoc at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

  • Yong Kong (8/2020-3/2021), now research assistant professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University

  • Shiwei Zhao (10/2018-10/2020, Hong Kong Scholars Program), now Research Assistant Professor at HKUST

  • Huanran Wu (8/2018-1/2020), now Associate Professor and "Hongshen Scholar"(弘深青年教师) at Chongqing University, China

  • Xiusong Shi (1/2018-7/2019), former RAP, now Full Professor at Shenzhen University, China

  • Xingyue Li (9/2018-6/2019), now Professor at Tongji University

  • Huo Fan (9/2016-9/2017) now research scientist at Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, CAS

  • Ning Guo (9/2014-9/2016) Now "100-talents Program" Professor, Zhejiang University, China

  • Hua Jiang (9/2012-3/2013): Now faculty member at Chang'an University

  • Zhiwei Gao (9/2012-6/2013):Now Senior Lecturer at University of Glasgow

  • Yuxia Kong (9/2011-8/2012): Now Associate Professor at Nanjing Institute of Technology

  • Guilhem Mollon (10/2011-8/2012): Now Associate Professor at National Institute for Applied Sciences, Lyon, France (visit his homepage)

  • Fengtao Liu (3/2011-2/2012): Now Associate Professor at Guilin University of Technology

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Visiting Students

  • Shuo HUANG, visiting Ph.D. student from Peking University (March 2024 - July 2024)

  • Yanzhen Zhu, visiting Ph.D. student from Zhejiang University of Technology (May 2023 - Nov 2023)

  • Qingzheng Guan, visiting Ph.D. student from Zhejiang University (March 2023 - Sept 2023)

  • Yipeng Xie, visiting Ph.D. student from Central China University (May 2022 - Nov 2022)

  • Xiang Wang, visiting Ph.D. student from Central China University (Aug 2018- Aug 2019)

  • Jiayan Nie, visiting Ph.D. student from Wuhan University (Dec 2018 - Nov 2019)

  • Jichao Lou, visiting research student from Southeast University (Aug-Oct 2019)

  • Ajinka Kulkami, visiting research student from IIT Madras (Oct 2016 - Mar 2017)

  • Julien Molina, visiting research student from Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines (2014)

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