Dr Tao Zhang

I am currently a Lecturer in Engineering at the University of Leicester. I am the Deputy Programme Director of Aerospace Engineering(UG). I am also the representative of the University of Leicester in the UK Vertical Lift Network (UK VLN). I am the current media officer of the Vertical Flight Society UK Chapter (VFS-UK). I am a full member of the Royal Aeronautical Society (MRAeS)  and Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA). 

I am a committed and enthusiastic researcher with broad skills and experience in high-fidelity multi-physics modelling and design optimisation, with particular applications to rotary wing systems, rotorcraft, and the emerging Advance Air Mobility sector. I obtained my PhD degree in aerospace engineering from the CFD Laboratory, University of Glasgow in 2022. My broad research interests are in high-fidelity multi-physics modelling methodologies, adjoint formulations, and data-/gradient-driven optimisation methodologies, with practical applications to rotary wings and Advanced Air Mobility designs. 

My broad research interests cover the following areas:

1. High-fidelity(first-principle-based) aerodynamics, acoustics, and flight mechanics modelling methodologies.

2. Data-driven/gradient-based optimisation methodologies combined with sensitivity/knowledge extraction using adjoint formulations.

3. High-fidelity multi-physics modelling and design optimisation of emerging Advanced Air Mobility designs. 

I am a contributor to the Helicopter Multi-Block (HMB) 3 numerical framework. My research work involves methodology development, numerical tools construction, and practical engineering applications. My research work involved close collaborations with patterners from industry and top institutions in the UK and across Europe, such as Leonardo Helicopters, GKN Aerospace, and the GARTEUR group. I am also working closely with the UK Vertical Lift Network (UK VLN) and the UK Vertical Flight Society (UK VFS) to facilitate research and industrial collaboration in the UK vertical lift sector.

I am keen on sharing my work, and this is why I tried as much as possible to publish papers in top aerospace journals. Here is a selected list of publications. You can track my latest publications on ResearchGate or Google Scholar. 

• T. Zhang, and G. N. Barakos. "On the Aerodynamic Performance of Redundant Propellers for Multi-rotor eVTOL in Cruise." Aerospace Science and Technology (2023): 108846.
• T. Zhang, and George N. Barakos. "Assessment of Implicit and Adaptive Mesh-free CFD Modelling." In AIAA AVIATION 2023 Forum, p. 4330. 2023. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2023-4330
• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, Furqan, M. Foster, "High-fidelity Aerodynamic and Acoustic Design and Analysis of a Heavy-lift eVTOL" Aerospace Science and Technology, 137, 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.ast.2023.108307
• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, Furqan, M. Foster, "Multi-fidelity Aerodynamic Design and Analysis of Propellers for a Heavy-lift eVTOL" Aerospace Science and Technology, 135, 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.ast.2023.108185
• T. Zhang, and G. N. Barakos. "High-Fidelity Numerical Analysis of Ducted Propeller Aerodynamics and Acoustics." In Advances in Computational Methods and Technologies in Aeronautics and Industry, pp. 89-103. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022.
• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, "High-fidelity numerical investigations of rotor-propeller aerodynamic interactions", Aerospace Science and Technology, 124(6), 2022. DOI: 10.1016/j.ast.2022.107517
• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, "Towards Vehicle-level Optimisation of Compound Rotorcraft Aerodynamics", AIAA Journal, 60(4), 2021. DOI: 10.2514/1.J061032
• T. Zhang, G. Qiao, D. Smith, G. N. Barakos, and A. Kusyumov, "Parametric Study of Aerodynamic Performance of Equivalent Ducted/Un-ducted Rotors", Aerospace Science and Technology, 117(1283), 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.ast.2021.106984
• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, "High-Fidelity Numerical Analysis and Optimisation of Ducted Propeller Aerodynamics and Acoustics", Aerospace Science and Technology, 113(1277), 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.ast.2021.106708
• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, "High-fidelity CFD Validation and Assessment of Ducted Propellers for Aircraft Propulsion", Journal of American Helicopter Society, Vol. 66, No. 1, pp. 1-28, 2021. DOI: 10.4050/JAHS.66.012008
• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, "Review on Ducted Fans for Compound Rotorcraft", The Aeronautical Journal, Vol. 124, No. 1277, pp. 941-974, 2020. DOI: 10.1017/aer.2019.164
• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, Furqan, and M. Foster. "High-fidelity Aerodynamic and Acoustic Evaluations of a Heavy-lift eVTOL in Hover." 49th European Rotorcraft Forum, Buckeburg, Germany, Sept 2023. 
• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, M. Foster, Furqan, "Multi-fidelity Aerodynamic and Acoustic Design and Analysis of a Heavy-lift eVTOL" 48th European Rotorcraft Forum, Winterthur, Switzerland, Sept 2022. 
• R. Boisard, L. Lefevre, T. Zhang, and others, "Rotor/Rotor aerodynamic interactions--A Garteur Action Group" 33rd Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS2022), Stockholm, Sweden, Sept 2022. 
• T. Zhang, R. J. Higgins, G. N. Barakos, "High-fidelity Numerical Investigation of Complex Propeller Flows" the Vertical Flight Society’s 78^th Annual Forum & Technology Display, TX, USA, May 2022. 
• T. Zhang, R. J. Higgins, G. Qiao, G. N. Barakos, "Optimisation of Distributed Propulsion using CFD" AIAA Aviation Forum 2022, USA, June 2022. 
• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, "Aerodynamic Simulation and Adjoint-based Optimisation of Rotorcraft Configurations" 47th European Rotorcraft Forum, Glasgow, UK, Sept 2021. 
• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, "High-fidelity Numerical Investigation of Ducted Propeller Aerodynamics/Acoustics and Adjoint-based Design Optimisation" 77th Annual Forum of Vertical Flight Society, May 2021.  
• T. Zhang, George N. Barakos. "High-Fidelity Numerical Analysis of Ducted Propellers Aerodynamics and Acoustics." WCCM-ECCOMAS Congress 2021 Special Technical Session and in Springer series, Jan 2021. 
• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos. "Development of Simulation Tools for High Fidelity Analysis of Compound Rotorcraft", AIAA SciTech 2020, Orlando, USA, Jan 2020.
• T. Zhang, George N. Barakos. "Towards Optimisation of Compound Rotorcraft." 45^th European Rotorcraft Forum, Warsaw, Poland, Sept 2019.

I am currently supervising one PhD student, and co-supervising three PhD students.

I welcome PhD proposals that fall within my research interests:

1. High-fidelity numerical modelling methods involving multi-physics processes. 

2. Data-/gradient-driven optimisation, multi-fidelity modelling, knowledge extraction, adjoint formulations, and data fusion.

3. Novel rotorcraft and Advanced Air Mobility design, analysis, and optimisation.

If you need scholarships to fund your study, please feel free to contact and discuss about potential funding opportunities. 

I am the current Deputy Programme Director of Aerospace Engineering(undergraduate) of the Engineering school. 

I am also responsible for joint education programmes with China Three Gorges University for 1st and 2nd year undergraduate students. 

Find more about my research and relevant work at:

1. Helicopter Multi-block (HMB) 3 Framework

2. Novel rotorcraft and ducted propeller design

3. The GKN Skybus heavy-lift eVTOL design

4. UK Vertical Lift Network

5. The Vertical Flight Society

• Gareth Padfield Award 2023, the 49th European Rotorcraft Forum (2023), a highly prestigious award in the international rotorcraft community, awarded to the best young author under 30 in this esteemed international event. I am the second UK recipient since the award’s set up in 2012. I am invited for a planetary report for the next ERF in France. Find more here: https://www.rotorcraft-forum.eu/awards/gareth-padfield-award/
• Dr Alan Stirling Brown Prize 2023, University of Glasgow (2023), a highly prestigious award to only one or two graduates each year across the entire university, in recognition of their outstanding research work and achievements.
• The Citizen Recognition Scheme 2022, University of Leicester (2022), in recognition of my commitment and excellent responses to research and teaching activities. 
• Dr David K. Brown Postgraduate Scholarship 2020, University of Glasgow (2020), a Major Gift awarded to only one student each year across the Engineering School in recognition of outstanding research work.

I fully engage with the UK and international research communities to share my research outcome and to meet the best experts. Here are some of my conference papers/presentations:

• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, "Assessment of Implicit and Adaptive Mesh-free CFD Modelling" AIAA Aviation 2023, CA, USA, June, 2023.

• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, Furqan, M. Foster, "Multi-fidelity Aerodynamic and Acoustic Design and Analysis of a Heavy-lift eVTOL" 47th European Rotorcraft Forum, Winterthur, Switzerland, 2022.

• T. Zhang, R. J. Higgins, G. N. Barakos, "High-fidelity Numerical Investigation of Complex Propeller Flows" The Vertical Flight Society’s 78th Annual Forum & Technology DisplayAt: Ft. Worth, TX, USA, 2022.

• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, "Aerodynamic Simulation and Adjoint-based Optimisation of Rotorcraft Configurations" 47th European Rotorcraft Forum, Glasgow, UK, 2021.

• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos, "High-fidelity Numerical Investigation of Ducted Propeller Aerodynamics/Acoustics and Adjoint-based Design Optimisation" 77th Annual Forum of Vertical Flight Society, May 2021. 

• T. Zhang, George N. Barakos. "High-Fidelity Numerical Analysis of Ducted Propellers Aerodynamics and Acoustics." WCCM-ECCOMAS Congress 2021 Special Technical Session and in Springer series, Jan 2021.

• T. Zhang, G. N. Barakos. "Development of Simulation Tools for High Fidelity Analysis of Compound Rotorcraft", AIAA SciTech 2020, Orlando, USA, Jan 2020.

• T. Zhang, George N. Barakos. "Towards Optimisation of Compound Rotorcraft." 45th European Rotorcraft Forum, Warsaw, Poland, Sept 2019.