Chao Zhang is currently a PhD student in Geotechnics & Structures Group, School of Engineering, Newcastle University, supervised by Prof. Stefano Utili and Dr David Milledge.

He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering at Shandong University of Science and Technology, China (2017). The subject of his graduation thesis is the Analysis of the failure mode of Zhaolou Underground Mine and the design of the support scheme. Subsequently, he acquired a Master of Science Degree in Geotechnical Engineering under the guidance of Prof. Qi Wang at Shandong University from 2017 to 2020. The project during his master study is “Research on linear rock breaking test and optimal layout of TBM disc cutter considering different cutting sequences”. From the study, he mastered the Discrete element method (DEM) and essential knowledge of the mechanical behaviour as well as the evolution of rock failure mode when disc cutters cutting rock. He also used the genetic algorithm to optimize the spacing between two cutters and designed an optimal layout of TBM cutters.