1. Micro-CT imaging of geomaterials

2. Machine learning-based image processing

3. Properties prediction of geomaterials from images and numerical simulation

4. Mineral processing

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=EwHLGhcAAAAJ&hl=en

Yulai Zhang joined the ARC Training Centre for M3D Innovation, Research School of Physics, in 2019. Since then, he works closely with his industry collaborators from Anglo American Steelmaking Coal company, Rio Tinto and Strata Control Technologies (SCT). His industrial collaboration includes coal cleat mapping and ore material (i.e. copper and iron ores) characterization for ore upgrading. His research area is mainly the application of 3D X-ray microCT and image analysis on the characterization of geomaterials. He works on multimodal/multiscale imaging, developing new image analysis methods and designing in situ dynamic experiments with CT. Recently, he starts to explore the employment of machine learning-based image processing methods in complex rock characterisation. For instance, he uses convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for segmentation for images with insufficient contrast and low quality.   

He studied mechanical engineering for his bachelor degree (B.Eng. from The Robert Gordon University, 2009) and then changed to petroleum engineering (M.Sc. from Imperial College London, 2010; Ph.D. from the University of New South Wales, 2019). Before Ph.D., he worked for Sinopec in Beijing for five years as a reservoir engineer.