Dr Liya Zhao
Senior Lecturer

Dr Liya Zhao

Dec. 2015     Ph.D. in Structures & Mechanics, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

                      PhD supervisor: Prof Yaowen Yang


Jun. 2009      B.Eng. in Civil Engineering, Tongji University, China 

 

Engineering
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

Research website: liyazhao-lab.com

Dr Liya Zhao is currently a Senior Lecturer in the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney). She is the recipient of the ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) for 2021-2024. 

She received her BEng in Civil Engineering from Tongji University in 2009, and her PhD in Structures and Mechanics from Nanyang Technological University Singapore in Dec 2015. After that, she worked as a Research Fellow at Nanyang Technological University Singapore. She moved to the University of Technology Sydney in 2017 as a Lecturer and became a Senior Lecturer in 2021. She joined UNSW Sydney as a Senior Lecturer in 2022. Dr Liya Zhao was featured among the World's Top 2% Scientists list for single year 2020 in the subject field of Materials, Energy, and Enabling & Strategic Technologies, published by Stanford University in Aug 2021.     

Her research interests include energy harvesting, nonlinear dynamics, smart materials and structures, electromechanical modelling, vibration control, aerodynamics, and piezoelectric devices. More details on my research website: Dynamic Smart Structures and Energy Harvesting Lab 

   - Nonlinear Dynamics, Vibration Suppression

  • Structural/material/geometric/aerodynamic nonlinearity
  • Multifunctional systems for energy harvesting and vibration suppression

   - Kinetic Energy Harvesting

  • Nonlinear adaptive structures for 1) small-scale wind energy harvesting with aeroelastic instabilities 2) broadband vibration energy harvesting 
  • Advanced power extraction interfaces for energy conversion enhancement
  • Human motion energy harvesting; biosensing
  • Wave energy harvesting

  - Smart Materials and Structures

  • Adaptive devices for energy harvesting, vibration suppression, actuating and sensing
  • Electromechanically coupled adaptive structures with smart materials (piezoelectric / flexoelectric / triboelectric / electret mechanisms)

   - Integrated Self-Powered Wireless Sensor Networks/Active Tags

  • Sustainable physiological monitoring with self-powered body sensor networks
  • Sustainable smart environmental/structural health monitoring
  • Sustainable object tracking

 

Location
Room 301B, Ainsworth Building J17
  • Journal articles | 2023
    2023, 'A quasi-zero stiffness two degree-of-freedom nonlinear galloping oscillator for ultra-low wind speed aeroelastic energy harvesting', Applied Energy, 331, pp. 120423 - 120423, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2022.120423
    Journal articles | 2023
    2023, 'A triboelectric nanogenerator powered piezoresistive strain sensing technique insensitive to output variations', Nano Energy, 108, pp. 108185 - 108185, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2023.108185
    Journal articles | 2023
    2023, 'A two-degree-of-freedom aeroelastic energy harvesting system with coupled vortex-induced-vibration and wake galloping mechanisms', Applied Physics Letters, 122, pp. 063901 - 063901, http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0128616
    Journal articles | 2023
    2023, 'Amplitude-robust metastructure with combined bistable and monostable mechanisms for simultaneously enhanced vibration suppression and energy harvesting', Applied Physics Letters, http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0136134
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'Enhanced frequency synchronization for concurrent aeroelastic and base vibratory energy harvesting using a softening nonlinear galloping energy harvester', Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, 33, pp. 687 - 702, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1045389X211026381
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'Investigation on the Characteristics of a Novel Internal Resonance Galloping Oscillator for Concurrent Aeroelastic and Base Vibratory Energy Harvesting', Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 173, pp. 109022 - 109022, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ymssp.2022.109022
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'Theoretical Study of a Two-Degree-of-Freedom Piezoelectric Energy Harvester under Concurrent Aeroelastic and Base Excitation', Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, 33, pp. 2000 - 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1045389X211072520
    Journal articles | 2022
    2022, 'Toward Nonlinear Galloping Energy Harvesting Interfaced With Different Power Extraction Circuits', IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 27, pp. 2678 - 2689, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TMECH.2021.3121881
    Journal articles | 2021
    Zhao C; Yang Y; Upadrashta D; Zhao L, 2021, 'Design, modeling and experimental validation of a low-frequency cantilever triboelectric energy harvester', Energy, 214, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.118885
    Journal articles | 2021
    2021, 'An experimental study of a two-degree-of-freedom galloping energy harvester', International Journal of Energy Research, 45, pp. 3365 - 3374, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/er.5878
    Journal articles | 2021
    2021, 'Investigation of Dynamic Load Sharing Behavior for Herringbone Planetary Gears considering Multicoupling Manufacturing Errors', Shock and Vibration, 2021, http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5511817
    Journal articles | 2021
    2021, 'Perspectives in flow-induced vibration energy harvesting', Applied Physics Letters, 119, http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0063488
    Journal articles | 2020
    Wang J; Tang L; Zhao L; Hu G; Song R; Xu K, 2020, 'Equivalent circuit representation of a vortex-induced vibration-based energy harvester using a semi-empirical lumped parameter approach', International Journal of Energy Research, 44, pp. 4516 - 4528, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/er.5228
    Journal articles | 2020
    2020, 'A comprehensive comparison of the vehicle vibration energy harvesting abilities of the regenerative shock absorbers predicted by the quarter, half and full vehicle suspension system models', Applied Energy, 272, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.115180
    Journal articles | 2020
    2020, 'A two-degree-of-freedom string-driven rotor for efficient energy harvesting from ultra-low frequency excitations', Energy, 196, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.117107
    Journal articles | 2020
    2020, 'Dynamics of the double-beam piezo–magneto–elastic nonlinear wind energy harvester exhibiting galloping-based vibration', Nonlinear Dynamics, 100, pp. 1963 - 1983, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11071-020-05633-3
    Journal articles | 2020
    2020, 'Synchronization extension using a bistable galloping oscillator for enhanced power generation from concurrent wind and base vibration', Applied Physics Letters, 116, http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.5134948
    Journal articles | 2019
    2019, 'A cross-coupled dual-beam for multi-directional energy harvesting from vortex induced vibrations', Smart Materials and Structures, 28, http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1361-665X/ab5249
    Journal articles | 2019
    2019, 'Effects of Electrical and Electromechanical Parameters on Performance of Galloping-Based Wind Energy Harvester with Piezoelectric and Electromagnetic Transductions', VIBRATION, 2, pp. 222 - 239, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/vibration2020014
    Journal articles | 2019
    2019, 'Efficiency investigation on energy harvesting from airflows in HVAC system based on galloping of isosceles triangle sectioned bluff bodies', Energy, 172, pp. 1066 - 1078, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2019.02.002
    Journal articles | 2018
    2018, 'An impact-based broadband aeroelastic energy harvester for concurrent wind and base vibration energy harvesting', Applied Energy, 212, pp. 233 - 243, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.12.042
    Journal articles | 2018
    2018, 'Trinity: Enabling self-Sustaining WSNs indoors with energy-Free sensing and networking', ACM Transactions on Embedded Computing Systems, 17, http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3173039
    Journal articles | 2017
    2017, 'Comparison of four electrical interfacing circuits in wind energy harvesting', Sensors and Actuators, A: Physical, 261, pp. 117 - 129, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sna.2017.04.035
    Journal articles | 2017
    2017, 'On the modeling methods of small-scale piezoelectric wind energy harvesting', Smart Structures and Systems, 19, pp. 67 - 90, http://dx.doi.org/10.12989/sss.2017.19.1.067
    Journal articles | 2017
    2017, 'Synergy of Wind Energy Harvesting and Synchronized Switch Harvesting Interface Circuit', IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 22, pp. 1093 - 1103, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TMECH.2016.2630732
    Journal articles | 2017
    2017, 'Toward Small-Scale Wind Energy Harvesting: Design, Enhancement, Performance Comparison, and Applicability', Shock and Vibration, 2017, http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/3585972
    Journal articles | 2016
    2016, 'Synchronized charge extraction in galloping piezoelectric energy harvesting', Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, 27, pp. 453 - 468, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1045389X15571384
    Journal articles | 2015
    2015, 'Analytical solutions for galloping-based piezoelectric energy harvesters with various interfacing circuits', Smart Materials and Structures, 24, http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0964-1726/24/7/075023
    Journal articles | 2015
    2015, 'Enhanced aeroelastic energy harvesting with a beam stiffener', Smart Materials and Structures, 24, http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0964-1726/24/3/032001
    Journal articles | 2015
    2015, 'Equivalent circuit representation and analysis of galloping-based wind energy harvesting', IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 20, pp. 834 - 844, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TMECH.2014.2308182
    Journal articles | 2014
    2014, 'Enhanced piezoelectric galloping energy harvesting using 2 degree-of-freedom cut-out cantilever with magnetic interaction', Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 53, http://dx.doi.org/10.7567/JJAP.53.060302
    Journal articles | 2013
    2013, 'Comparative study of tip cross-sections for efficient galloping energy harvesting', Applied Physics Letters, 102, http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4792737
    Journal articles | 2013
    2013, 'Comparison of modeling methods and parametric study for a piezoelectric wind energy harvester', Smart Materials and Structures, 22, http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0964-1726/22/12/125003
  • Conference Papers | 2022
    2022, 'Inerter-enhanced piezoelectric energy harvesting and vibration suppression', in Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, SPIE, presented at Active and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems XVI, 06 March 2022 - 11 April 2022, http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2613326
    Conference Papers | 2022
    2022, 'Internal resonance in galloping, VIV and flutter for concurrent wind and base vibration energy harvesting', in Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, SPIE, presented at Active and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems XVI, 06 March 2022 - 11 April 2022, http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2611733
    Conference Papers | 2021
    2021, 'A 2DOF galloping oscillator with internal resonance for broadband concurrent wind and base vibration energy harvesting', in Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2585151
    Conference Presentations | 2021
    2021, 'Concurrent Wind and Base Vibration Energy Harvester with Internal Resonance', presented at The 3rd International Conference on Vibration and Energy Harvesting Applications (VEH 2021), Xi'an, China, 09 July 2021 - 12 July 2021
    Conference Presentations | 2021
    2021, 'Parametric Study of a 2dof Concurrent Galloping and Base Vibration Energy Harvester With Internal Resonance', presented at ASME Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures, and Intelligent Systems, 14 September 2021 - 15 September 2021
    Conference Papers | 2020
    2020, 'A bistable galloping energy harvester for enhanced concurrent wind and base vibration energy harvesting', in Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2558465
    Conference Papers | 2019
    2019, 'Analytical solutions for a broadband concurrent aeroelastic and base vibratory energy harvester', in Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2522088
    Conference Papers | 2019
    2019, 'Concurrent wind and base vibration energy harvesting with a broadband bistable aeroelastic energy harvester', in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/531/1/012081
    Conference Posters | 2018
    2018, 'A Galloping Based Piezoelectric Energy Harvester', Auckland, New Zealand, presented at 2018 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), Auckland, New Zealand, 09 July 2018 - 12 July 2018
    Conference Papers | 2018
    2018, 'Performance enhancement of an aeroelastic energy harvester for efficient power harvesting from concurrent wind flows and base vibrations', in IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics, AIM, pp. 780 - 785, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/AIM.2018.8452411
    Conference Papers | 2015
    2015, 'Enhancement of galloping-based wind energy harvesting by synchronized switching interface circuits', in Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2084000
    Conference Papers | 2014
    2014, 'Bandwidth enhancement of a piezoelectric energy harvester using parametrically induced vibrations', in ICAST 2014 - 25th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies
    Conference Papers | 2014
    2014, 'Enhancement of aeroelastic energy harvesting from galloping, vortex-induced vibrations and flutter with a beam stiffener', in ICAST 2014 - 25th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies
    Conference Papers | 2014
    2014, 'Synchronized charge extraction for aeroelastic energy harvesting', in Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2044993
    Conference Abstracts | 2013
    2013, 'Demo Abstract: Powering Indoor Sensing with Airflows–A Trinity of Energy Harvesting, Synchronous Duty-Cycling, and Sensing', in Proceedings of the 11th ACM Conference on Embedded Networked Sensor Systems, pp. 73 - 73, presented at 11th ACM Conference on Embedded Networked Sensor Systems
    Conference Papers | 2013
    2013, 'Demo abstract: Powering indoor sensing with airflows- A trinity of energy harvesting, synchronous duty-cycling, and sensing', in SenSys 2013 - Proceedings of the 11th ACM Conference on Embedded Networked Sensor Systems, ACM Press, presented at the 11th ACM Conference, 11 November 2013 - 15 November 2013, http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2517351.2517393
    Conference Papers | 2013
    2013, 'Powering indoor sensing with airflows: A trinity of energy harvesting, synchronous duty-cycling, and sensing', in SenSys 2013 - Proceedings of the 11th ACM Conference on Embedded Networked Sensor Systems, http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2517351.2517365
    Conference Papers | 2012
    2012, 'Magnetic coupled cantilever piezoelectric energy harvester', in ASME 2012 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems, SMASIS 2012, pp. 811 - 818, http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/SMASIS2012-8041
    Conference Papers | 2012
    2012, 'Small wind energy harvesting from galloping using piezoelectric materials', in ASME 2012 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems, SMASIS 2012, pp. 919 - 927, http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/SMASIS2012-8212

Chief Investigator

Sole CI: UNSW MME RIS, 2022, AUD 25,000

Sole CI: UNSW Start-Up Grant, 2022, AUD 30,000

Sole CI: “Metastructures for Simultaneous Vibration Suppression and Energy Harvesting”, ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA), Liya Zhao, 2021-2024, AUD 425,775

Lead CI: Blue Sky Grant, University of Technology Sydney, 2019, AUD 15,000, Zhao L, Qiu X

Sole CI: Seed Grant, University of Technology Sydney, 2018, AUD 20,000

Co-CI: NSW Defence Innovation Network, 2021-2023, AUD 100,500, Oberst S, Zhao L

Co-CI: Teaching Grant, University of Technology Sydney, FEIT,  2018, AUD 5,000

Nanyang Engineering Doctoral Scholarship (NEDS) Award, Nanyang Technological University, 2011-2012, SGD 6,000

Participated in

“Broadband energy harvesting optimized for shipboard intelligent wireless sensor and actuator networks”, Office of Naval Research Global, USA, Aug 2013 – Jul 2015, SGD 47,040. Principal Investigator: Prof Yaowen Yang, Nanyang Technological University Singapore. 

“Small scale energy harvesting” (M4081328), NTU Research Initiative, Aug 2013 – Jul 2016, SGD 180,000. Principal Investigator: Prof Yaowen Yang, Nanyang Technological University Singapore.

My Research Supervision

We are always seeking highly-motivated research students to join our lab. Applicants are expected to have a solid background in mechanics, vibration, nonlinear dynamics, and engineering programming (e.g., Matlab). If you are interested in doing a PhD with me, please send your transcripts (requirement: Bachelor GPA > 80/100), CV, and your intended research (an abstract within 200 words) to liya.zhao2@unsw.edu.au.​

PhD scholarships are available for top students who achieved UNSW High Distinction (H1) or equivalent in their undergraduate program and/or have completed a Master by Research. In general, admission and scholarship applications are highly competitive.