PhD
Faculty of Harbor, Coastal and Offshore Engineering
Schoolof Ocean Science and Engineering
Shanghai Maritime University
Email: zmchao@shmtu.edu.cn
Zhiming Chao, male, born in 1991, PhD, professor, master’s supervisor, recipient of the Shanghai May Fourth Youth Medal and Excellent Marine Young Scientist Prize. Professor Chao has been awarded for several high-level talent programs, including the 9th Young Elite Scientists Funding Program by China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) (funded by CAST), the Shanghai City Overseas Excellent Youth Scholar Project (1 million RMB), the Excellent Youth Scholar Project of Chinese Navigation Society, the High-Level Talent Program of Shanghai Education Commission, and the High-Level Talent Program of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission. Professor Chao holds multiple academic positions, such as Deputy Secretary-General of the International Cooperation Committee of the China Geosynthetics Association, Young Expert Committee Member of the Chinese Society of Navigation, Young Expert Committee Member of the International Geosynthetics Society, and Youth Working Committee Member of the China Geosynthetics Engineering Association.
Professor Chao specializes in port and marine geotechnical engineering, the application of aitificail intelligence in geotechnical engineering.Over the past five years, Professor Chao has published dozens of SCI-indexed papers in related fields, including nearly 30 papers as the first or corresponding author in internationally renowned journals such as Geotextiles and Geomembranes, Geosynthetics International, Underground Space, Ocean Engineering, and Construction and Building Materials. Additionally, Professor Chao has published nearly 10 EI-indexed papers and obtained nearly 10 national invention patents as the first inventor. Professor Chao has been awarded Chinese Navigation Society The Third Prize for Progres in Science and Technology (Ranking the first awarder), and the Shanghai Education Commission Merit Award, and the 2020 UK Best Paper Award by the International Geosynthetics Society (the sole recipient in the UK).Professor Chao have hosted nearly 20 research projects, including more than 10 national and provincial-level projects such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China (General and Youth Programs, respectively), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Special and General Grants, respectively), the Shanghai Natural Science Foundation (General Program), the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission Rising-Star Program, and the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission Soft Science Research Program, etc, with the total reserch project funding over 5 million RMB.
June 2017 ~June 2021, PhD in the major of Engineering, University of Warwick, UK
Supervisor: The former chairman of International Geosynthetics Society UK Chapter Dr. Gary Fowmes
Juner 2014~June 2017, Master study in the major of Harbor, Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Hohai University,
Supervisor: Prof. Huanling Wang
July 2021-October 2024, Associate Professor, College of Marine Science and Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University,
October 2024~Present, Professor (Exceptional promotion), College of Marine Science and Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University
Team Leader: Prof. Danda Shi
December 2022-Present, Part-time Postdoctoral Fellowship, Hohai University, Supervisor: The head of Hohai University Prof. Jinhai Zheng
Part-time Social Work
Deputy Secretary-General, International Cooperation Committee, China Geosynthetics Association
Member, Young Expert Committee, Chinese Society of Navigation
Member, Young Professionals Committee, International Geosynthetics Society
Member, Youth Working Committee, China Geosynthetics Engineering Association
Research Projects
Professor Chao have hosted nearly 20 research projects, including more than 10 national and provincial-level projects, with the total reserch project funding over 5 million RMB.
2025.01~2028.12 National Natural Science Foundation of China (General Program). (Funding: ¥480,000, Principal Investigator)
2024.01~2026.12 National Natural Science Foundation of China (Youth Program). (Funding: ¥300,000, Principal Investigator)
2023.12~2026.12 Young Elite Scientists Funding Program by CAST (funded by CAST). (Funding: ¥300,000, Principal Investigator)
2024.06~2026.06 China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Special Grant). (Funding: ¥180,000, Principal Investigator)
2023.06~2025.06 China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (General Grant). (Funding: ¥80,000, Principal Investigator)
2022.12~2026.12 Shanghai Overseas High-Level Young Talent Program. (Funding: ¥1,000,000, Principal Investigator)
2022.12~2023.12 Young Elite Scientists Funding Program by the Chinese Society of Navigation. (Principal Investigator)
2023.04~2026.03 Shanghai Natural Science Foundation (General Program). (Funding: ¥200,000, Principal Investigator)
2022.04~2025.03 Shanghai Rising-Star Program. (Funding: ¥200,000, Principal Investigator)
2023.03~2024.02 Shanghai "Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan" Soft Science Research Program. (Principal Investigator)
Representative Papers
Professor Chao has published dozens of SCI-indexed papers in related fields, including nearly 30 papers as the first or corresponding author in internationally renowned journals such as Geotextiles and Geomembranes, Geosynthetics International, Underground Space, Ocean Engineering, and Construction and Building Materials. Additionally, Professor Chao has published nearly 10 EI-indexed papers.
1.Chao Z, Shi D, Fowmes G, Xu X, Yue W, Cui P, Hu T, Yang C. Artificial intelligence algorithms for predicting peak shear strength of clayey soil-geomembrane interfaces and experimental validation[J]. Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 2023, 51(1): 179-198. (JCR Q1，ESIHighly Cited Paper)
2.Chao Z, Shi D, Zheng J. Experimental research on temperature–Dependent dynamic interface interaction between marine coral sand and polymer layer[J]. Ocean Engineering, 2024, 297: 117100. (JCR Q1，ESIHighly Cited Paper)
3.Chao Z, Dang Y, Pan Y, Wang F, Wang M, Zhang J, Yang C. Prediction of the shale gas permeability: A data mining approach[J]. Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment, 2023, 33: 100435. (JCR Q1，ESIHighly Cited Paper)
4.Chao Z, Li Z, Dong Y, Shi D, Zheng J. Estimating compressive strength of coral sand aggregate concrete in marine environment by combining physical experiments and machine learning-based techniques[J]. Ocean Engineering, 2024, 308: 118320. (JCR Q1，ESIHighly Cited Paper)
5.Chao Z, Fowmes G, Mousa A, Zhou J, Zhao Z, Zheng J, Shi D. A new large-scale shear apparatus for testing geosynthetics-soil interfaces incorporating thermal condition[J]. Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 2024, 52(5): 999-1010. (SCI, IF=4.7, JCR Q1)
6.Chao Z, Fowmes G. The short-term and creep mechanical behaviour of clayey soil-geocomposite drainage layer interfaces subjected to environmental loadings[J]. Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 2022, 50(2): 238-248. (SCI, IF=4.7, JCR Q1)
7.Chao Z, Wang H, Hu S, Wang M, Xu S, Zhang W. Permeability and porosity of light-weight concrete with plastic waste aggregate: Experimental study and machine learning modelling[J]. Construction and Building Materials, 2024, 411: 134465. (SCI, IF=7.4, JCR Q1)
8.Chao Z, Wang M, Sun Y, Xu X, Yue W, Yang C, Hu T. Predicting stress-dependent gas permeability of cement mortar with different relative moisture contents based on physical experiments and hybrid ensemble artificial intelligence algorithms[J]. Construction and Building Materials, 2022, 348: 128660. (SCI, IF=7.4, JCR Q1)
9.Chao Z, Gong B, Yue W, Xu X, Shi D, Yang C, Hu T. Experimental study on stress-dependent gas permeability and porosity of artificially cracked cement mortar[J]. Construction and Building Materials, 2022, 359: 129290. (SCI, IF=7.4, JCR Q1)
10.Chao Z, Liu H, Wang H, Dong Y, Shi D, Zheng J. The interface mechanical properties between polymer layer and marine sand with different particle sizes under the effect of temperature: Laboratory tests and artificial intelligence modelling[J]. Ocean Engineering, 2024, 312: 119255. (SCI, IF=4.6, JCR Q1)
Professor Chao has obtained 9 national invention patents as the first inventor:
1. July 2018: Method for determining the sensitivity of permeability and porosity to effective stress in fractured rock masses. Patent No. ZL201610064446.X, National Invention Patent (First Inventor)
2. June 2018: Method for preparing fractured rock mass samples with through-going fractures based on 3D printing technology. Patent No. ZL201511018137.0, National Invention Patent (First Inventor)
3. June 2018: Method for preparing columnar jointed rock mass samples with non-filled hidden joints. Patent No. ZL201511016772.5, National Invention Patent (First Inventor)
4. June 2018: Method for preparing columnar jointed rock mass samples with filled hidden joints. Patent No. ZL201511023783.6, National Invention Patent (First Inventor)
5. June 2018: Method for preparing fractured rock mass samples with non-through fractures based on 3D printing technology. Patent No. ZL201511019619.8, National Invention Patent (First Inventor)
6. May 2018: Method for quantitatively determining the permeability anisotropy of fractured rock masses. Patent No. ZL201610065036.7, National Invention Patent (First Inventor)
7. February 2018: Method for determining the sensitivity of permeability in different directions of fractured rock masses to porosity. Patent No. ZL201610064275.0, National Invention Patent (First Inventor)
8. December 2017: Method for rapidly preparing samples with different water saturation levels. Patent No. ZL201510364803.X, National Invention Patent (First Inventor)
9. November 2017: Method for determining the volume of representative elementary rock mass units. Patent No. ZL201511022607.0, National Invention Patent (First Inventor)
2024: Awarded the Shanghai Youth May Fourth Medal
2025: Chinese Navigation Society The Third Prize for Progres in Science and Technology (Ranking the first awarder)
2024: Shanghai Education Commission Merit Award
2020: Received the Best Paper Award by the International Geosynthetics Society (only one recipient in the UK)
2024: Excellent Marine Young Scientist Prize
Teaching Courses
Graduate Program: Marine Geotechnical Engineering
Bachelor Program: Soil Mechanics, Soil Mechanics Laboratory, Construction Law
Awards of Supervised Students
2023: Supervised master's student Yabin Dang, who received the Graduate National Scholarship
2024: Supervised master's student Zhikang Li, who received the Graduate National Scholarship
2024: Supervised master's student Hui Liu, who received the Graduate National Scholarship
Other Honors
Selected for 5 provincial and ministerial-level talent programs.
(Resume information as of 2024.12)