Dr. Yang is a Humboldt Research Fellow at TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany. He completed his PhD at Central South University in December 2025. He was previously a joint PhD at the University of Melbourne and a visiting researcher at Monash University. He has published more than 50 papers in top international journals such as International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, Engineering Geology, Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Computers and Geotechnics, with 5 papers selected as ESI highly cited papers (top 1%). His Google Scholar citations have reached 800+, with an H-index of 20. He once received Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China. He has applied for more than 30 Chinese invention patents. He is the Associate Editor for Frontiers in Earth Science and a Guest Editor for Applied Sciences. He also serves as a reviewer for well-known journals including International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, International Journal For Numerical Methods in Engineering, and Computers and Geotechnics. He integrated X-ray diffraction, digital image processing, Newton’s Second Law, and Fourier’s Law of Heat Conduction to establish a multi-scale, multi-field modeling framework that reproduces the characteristics of real rock masses, aiming to provide more effective solutions for clean energy development. His research interests include deep rock fragmentation, underground energy storage, thermal–hydraulic–mechanical–chemical (THMC) coupling in rock engineering, the development of discrete element method/finite-discrete element method (DEM/FDEM) numerical models, and engineering applications.

🔥 News

• 2025.11:  🎉 One paper has been published in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering.
• 2025.07:  🎉 Two papers have been selected as ESI Highly Cited Papers. (Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 2025); (Underground Space, 2025)
• 2025.06:  🎉 One paper has been published in Computers and Geotechnics.
• 2025.03:  🎉 One paper has been published in International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences.
• 2025.01:  🎉 Two papers have been selected as ESI Highly Cited Papers. (Journal of Energy Storage, 2024); (Energy, 2024)
• 2024.12:  🎉 President Scholarship – Excellence Award, Central South University (Top 30 among 24,000+ graduate students)

📝 Representative Publications

RMRE 2024

Yang, Z., Tao, M., Yin, T., Memon, M. B., Ranjith, P. G. (2024). Grain-Based Modeling for Heterogeneous Rock Fragmentation Under Stressed Conditions and TBM Cutter Spacing Optimization. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 57, 10467-10489.

• An innovative concept for the extraction and computation of fragments is proposed.
• An improved specific energy for assessing rock-breaking efficiency is presented.

EG 2024

Yang, Z., Tao, M., Fei, W., Yin, T., Gu, X., Narsilio, G. A. (2024). A coupled thermo-mechanical model for investigating cracking and failure of composite interbedded rock. Engineering Geology, 339, 107645.

• A novel thermal-mechanical coupled composite interbedded rock model was developed.
• Thermal stresses inside composite interbedded rock were studied for the first time.

JRMGE 2025

Yang, Z., Tao, M., Memon, M. B., Zhuang, D., Zhao, Y. (2025). Microwave irradiation-induced deterioration of rock mechanical properties and implications for mechanized hard rock excavation. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 17(1), 275-290. ESI highly cited paper (top 1%)

• A novel microwave-water cooling-assisted mechanical rock breakage method was proposed to address the issues of severe tool wear at elevated temperatures, poor rock microwave absorption, and excessive microwave energy consumption.

• Yang, Z., Tao, M., Ranjith, P. G. (2025). Novel insights into grain size effect of stressed crystalline rock using weakened grain boundary model. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 189, 106098. ESI highly cited paper (top 1%)
• Yang, Z., Narsilio, G. A., Tao, M., Fei, W., Luo, H., Memon, M. B. (2025). Microscale Heterogeneity Effect and Seismic Source Quantification On Stressed Rock During Shearing. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering.
• Yang, Z., Alqawasmeh, Q., Ma, J., Dashtgoli, D., Cong, Z., Li, Y. (2025). Critical grain size and shear behavior of polycrystalline rocks under confining pressure: A moment tensor-based GBM approach. Computers and Geotechnics, 186, 107431.
• Yang, Z., Tao, M., Ranjith, P. G., Zhuang, D., Memon, M. B., Luo, H. (2024). Multiscale damage and thermal-stress evolution characteristics of rocks with thermal storage potential under thermal shocks. Journal of Energy Storage, 83, 110631. ESI highly cited paper (top 1%)
• Yang, Z., Tao, M., Alqawasmeh, Q., Luo, H., Ranjith, P. G. (2026). Particle size and grain fabric effect on mechanical behavior of crystalline rocks using grain-based DEM. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 85, 149.
• Yang, Z., Tao, M., Fei, W., Yin, T., Ranjith, P. G. (2025). Grain-based coupled thermo-mechanical modeling for stressed heterogeneous granite under thermal shock. Underground Space, 20, 174-196. ESI highly cited paper (top 1%)
• Yang, Z., Tao, M., Yin, T., Wu, X., Xiang, G., Xu, Y. (2024). Microwave-assisted TBM cutter for efficient hard rock fracturing in high stress environments. Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 310, 110479.
• Yang, Z., Tao, M., Yin, T., Luo, H., Chen C., Ranjith, P. G. (2025). Fragmentation characteristics of stressed rock with weak interlayers using double TBM cutters. Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 315, 110845.
• Tao, M., Yang, Z.*, Zhao, Y., Wu, X., & Wu, C. (2024). Failure characteristics of microwave heat-treated stressed sandstone: Implications for deep rock breakage using TBM cutting. Energy, 292, 130489. ESI highly cited paper (top 1%)
• Memon, M. B., Yang, Z.*, Qazi, W. H., Pathan, S. M., Chalgri, S. R. (2024). Assessing Soil Bulk Density, Plasticity Index, Porosity, and Degree of Saturation through Electrical Resistivity using Correlation Analysis. Malaysian Journal of Soil Science, 28, 12-25.
• Yang, Z., Yin, T., Wu, Y., Zhuang, D., Yin, J., Ma, J. (2023). Mixed-mode I/II fracture properties and failure characteristics of microwave-irradiated basalt: An experimental study. Fatigue and Fracture of Engineering Materials and Structures, 46(3), 814-834.
• Yang, Z., Yin, T., Zhuang, D., Wu, Y., Yin, J., Chen, Y. (2022). Effect of temperature on mixed mode I/III fracture behavior of diorite: An experimental investigation. Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics, 122, 103571.
• Yin, T., Yang, Z.*, Wu, Y., Tan, X., Li, M. (2022). Experimental investigation on the effect of open fire on the tensile properties and damage evolution behavior of granite. International Journal of Damage Mechanics, 31(8), 1139-1164.

🎖 Functions and Honours

• 2026.03 - Present: Guest Editor, Applied sciences (JCR Q2)
• 2026.01 - Present: Associate Editor, Frontiers in Earth Science (JCR Q3)
• 2025.11: Humboldt Research Fellowship, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
• 2025.10: National Scholarship, Ministry of Education of China (Top 2%)
• 2025.10: First Prize, Graduate Study Scholarship, Central South University
• 2024.12: President Scholarship – Excellence Award, Central South University (Top 30 among 24,000+ graduate students)
• 2024.10: National Scholarship, Ministry of Education of China (Top 2%)
• 2024.10: First Prize, Graduate Study Scholarship, Central South University
• 2023.07: China Scholarship Council Scholarship
• 2023.10: First Prize, Graduate Study Scholarship, Central South University
• 2022.10: First Prize, Graduate Study Scholarship, Central South University
• 2021.10: College Scholarship, Central South University
• 2021.03: Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China
• 2020.03: Asia and Pacific Mathematical Contest in Modeling (APMCM) Prize

★ Employments

• 2026.03 - Present, Humboldt Research Fellow, Geotechnical Institute, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany

  Collaborative Supervisor: Prof. Heinz Konietzky

• 2024.08 - 2025.03, Guest Researcher, Deep Earth Energy Research Laboratory, Monash University, Australia

  Collaborative Supervisor: Prof. P.G. Ranjith

📖 Educations

• 2024.03 - 2025.03, Joint Training PhD, Geotechnical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Australia

  Supervisor: Prof. Guillermo A. Narsilio

• 2022.09 - 2025.12, PhD, Safety Science and Engineering, Central South University, Hunan, China

  Supervisor: Prof. Ming Tao

• 2019.09 - 2022.06, Master of Engineering, Mining Engineering, Central South University, Hunan, China

  Supervisor: Prof. Tubing Yin

• 2015.09 - 2019.06, Bachelor of Engineering, Mining Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei, China

☑ Representative Patents

• 2023, A test device and method for simulating rock breaking by tunnel boring machine cutter under deep conditions, CN202310213745.5. (China)
• 2024, Experimental setup and methods for the mechanical characteristics of high-stress tunnel surrounding rock in cold regions, CN202311586560.5. (China)
• 2024, An advance drilling device for tunnel boring machine and a drill bit for tunnel boring machine, CN202311820825.3. (China)
• 2024, A tunnel boring machine for complex rock formations, CN202410329362.9. (China)
• 2024, A deep intelligent mechanical rock-breaking device based on drilling and testing technology, CN202410747583.8. (China)
• 2024, A multi-mode auxiliary rock-breaking device for deep drilling, CN202410747577.2. (China)