Wei Zeng

Dr Wei Zeng

ARC DECRA Fellow

School of Architecture and Civil Engineering

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Dr Wei Zeng is a lecturer with experience in multidisciplinary disciplines including hydraulics, hydroacoustics, hydroinformatics, signal processing, machine learning, IoT sensing, optical fibre sensing, control and CFD.

My research highlights can be found below:

  • Smart water networks (IoT)

AI machine learning techniques, signal processing methods and data analytics to process IoT data in cloud-based environments for online water/wastewater network monitoring. 

IoT leak detection techniques commercialised through the University start-up Adelitics Pty Ltd have been used/trialled in 5 water utilities.

  • Water system modelling, control and management

Hydraulic modelling using physics-based machine learning and data assimilation to integrate data with physics.

Applications to water supply networks, sewer networks, stormwater networks and irrigation systems.

Integrating control theory to manage water system operation.

  • Sustainable water asset maintenance (pipe condition assessment)

hydroacoustics-based pipe condition assessment techniques with advanced sensing systems (e.g., optical sensing techniques).

Acoustic techniques for anomaly (blockages, infiltration) detection in sewer/drainage pipes.

  • Pumped hydro and mini-hydro

CFD hydraulic machinery, hydraulic transient analysis, and inverse transient analysis of aging pumped hydro schemes.

Pumped/mini hydro energy storage integrated with renewables.

 

PhD opportunities Available

We are seeking PhD students with studying or research experience in one or more of the following areas: water distribution systems, drainage systems, irrigation systems, hydraulics, hydroinformatics, AI machine learning, signal processing for fault detection, or CFD. The University of Adelaide provides a range of PhD scholarships, such as the RTPS and UARS scholarships and the CSC scholarship for students from China (jointly supplied by the China Scholarship Council). Prospective applicants are welcome to contact me for more information about these scholarships, other scholarship opportunities (including potential top-up scholarships) and research directions, etc.

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2024 - ongoing Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2024 - ongoing ARC DECRA fellow University of Adelaide
    2023 - 2023 Technology Developer Adelitics, Pty, Ltd
    2021 - 2023 Research Fellow (Part time) Deakin University
    2020 - 2023 Research Fellow University of Adelaide
    2016 - 2017 Research assistant Wuhan University
  • Language Competencies

    Language Competency
    Chinese (Mandarin) Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2017 - 2020 The University of Adelaide Australia PhD
    2013 - 2016 Wuhan University China Master
    2009 - 2013 Wuhan University China Bachelor
  • Research Interests

 

Title
Source
Amount
Illuminating Dark Fibres for Smart Water Asset Monitoring ARC DECRA 2024 ARC 389k + UoA $ 75k
Closing the Gap in Pipe Condition Assessment using Hydro-Acoustic Waves ARC Linkage Project 2021 ARC $368k + Industry $188k
Network Calming -Using Smart Sensors to Improve Water Asset Performance ARC Discovery Project 2023 ARC $391k
Hydroacoustic Diagnosis for Sustainable Water Distribution Systems UoA EMCR scheme 2021 12k
Small Equipment Support scheme UoA $14k
High-Accuracy Hydraulic Transient Analysis of 
 Pumped Storage Hydropower Plants
Visiting scholar fellowship at Wuhan University  ~17k

 

 

 

 

Year Course Role
2024 Advanced Water Distribition Systems Engineering Lecturer
2024 Introduction to Infrastructure Lecturer
2022 Advanced Civil Engineering Hydraulics Lecturer
2021

Advanced Civil Engineering Hydraulics

Water Engineering & Design

Lecturer
2020 Water Engineering & Design Guest lecturer & Tutor
2019 Water Engineering & Design Guest lecturer & Tutor
2019 Introduction to Infrastructure Tutor
2019 Water Engineering II Tutor
2018 Water Engineering & Design Tutor
2018 Water Engineering II Tutor

 

 

 

 

 

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Principal Supervisor Utilising Distributed Acoustic Sensing and Dark Fibres for Smart Water Asset Monitoring Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Xiang Wang
    2024 Principal Supervisor Detecting Cracks in Smart Water Networks using IoT and Machine Learning Techniques Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Ruilin Liu
    2023 Co-Supervisor A Comprehensive Elastic Water Column Model for Water Distribution System Analysis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Morteza Imani
    2023 Co-Supervisor Leak Characterization and Detection in Water Distribution Systems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Chengcheng Yin
    2022 Co-Supervisor Proactive Detection of Wastewater Overflows in Smart Wastewater Systems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Thi Hai Duong Ninh
    2021 Co-Supervisor Characterisation and condition assessment of water distribution systems using hydraulic transients with data-driven algorithms Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jiawei Ye
  • Other Supervision Activities

    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2020 - 2024 External Supervisor Pipe condition assessment of plastic pipes using hydraulic transient waves Deakin University Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ji-Sung Lee
  • Position: ARC DECRA Fellow
  • Phone: 83134183
  • Email: w.zeng@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83134359
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Engineering North, floor Second Floor
  • Room: N231C
  • Org Unit: School of Architecture and Civil Engineering

Connect With Me
External Profiles