Research

Research Grants

• PI, “An O2O Flipped Classroom for Students’ Collaboration and Innovation Development”, $250,000, HKU, TDG, 2020.09-2022.02
• PI, “Operational-Use Reliability Prediction and Optimal Inspection and Maintenance Plan Design for Heterogeneous Charging Piles for Electric Vehicles”, $627,878, RGC ECS, 2022.01-2025.02
• PI, “A Performance-based Reliability Modelling and Optimization Framework for Photovoltaic Fleets”, $855,055, RGC GRF, 2024.01-2026.12
• PI, “A Service Reliability Modelling and Profit Optimization Framework for Battery Swapping Stations”, $892,694, RGC GRF, 2025.01-2027.12
• Deputy Project Coordinator, “nD Blockchain for ESG Reporting”, $8,088,045, Innovation and Technology Support Programme (Platform Project)

Publications

Reliability modelling and reliability testing design

• Tong Wu, Litai Ma, Yao Cheng, Kerui Zhang, Kang Li, Yi Yang, Hao Liu and Changxi Wang, “Stochastic Modeling of Human Lumbar Functional Spinal Units System Degeneration”, IISE Transactions, 2025, in press.
• Y. Wei, Y. Cheng*, H. Liao, “Fleet Service Reliability Analysis of Self-Service Systems under Failure-Induced Demand Switching and a Two-Dimensional Inspection and Maintenance Policy”, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science Engineering, 2024, in press.
• R. Li, J. Wu, Y. Li, Y. Cheng, “PeriodNet: Noise-Robust Fault Diagnosis Method under Varying Speed Conditions”, IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems, 2023, in press.
• Y. Cheng, H. Liao and Z. Huang, “Optimal Degradation-based Hybrid Double-Stage Acceptance Sampling Plan for a Heterogeneous Product”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 210, p.107453, 2021.
• Y. Cheng and E. A. Elsayed, “Design of Optimal Hybrid Sequential Testing Plans,” IISE Transactions, Quality and Reliability Engineering, 2021 (Best Practical Paper).
• Y. Cheng and E. A. Elsayed, “Reliability Modeling and Optimization of Operational Use of One-shot Units,” Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 176, pp. 27-36, 2018.
• Y. Cheng and E. A. Elsayed, “Optimal Sequential ALT Plans for Systems with Mixture of One-Shot Units,” IEEE Transaction on Reliability, vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 997-1011, 2017.
• Y. Cheng and E. A. Elsayed, “Reliability Modeling of Mixtures of One-shot Units under Thermal Cyclic Stresses,” Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 167, pp. 58-66, Nov. 2017.
• Y. Cheng and E. A. Elsayed, “Reliability Modeling and Prediction of Systems with Mixture of Units,” IEEE Transaction on Reliability, vol. 65, no. 2, pp. 914-928, Jun. 2015.
• Z. Huang, Y. Wei, Y. Cheng*, “A Quantitative Framework for Performance-based Reliability Prediction for a Multi-Component System Subject to Dynamic Self-Reconfiguration”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, under revision. 
• R. Li, Y. Xiang, Y. Cheng*, “A Periodic Fractional Wiener Process for Remaining Useful Life Prediction of Photovoltaic Systems with Long-Range Dependence”, Technometrics, R&R.

Resilience modelling and resilient system design

• Y. Wei, Y. Cheng*, H. Liao, “Optimal Resilience-Based Restoration of a System subject to Recurrent Dependent Hazards”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 247, 2024.
• Y. Cheng, H. Liao, E. Elsayed, “From Reliability to Resilience: More Than Just Taking One Step Further”, IEEE Transactions on Reliability, vol. 1, 2023.
• C. Zou, Y. Cheng*, J. Wang, “The Impact of the Variability of Patient Flow and Service Time on the Efficiency of Large-scale Outpatient Systems, IEEE Transactions on Computational Social Systems”, vol. 10, 2023.
• Y. Gao, J. Wang, and Y. Cheng, “On Time-Dependent Critical Platforms and Tracks in Metro Systems,” Transportation Science, vol. 56, no. 4, pp. 953-971, 2022.
• C. Zhou, Y. Cheng*, J. Wang, “Critical Department Analysis for Large-Scale Outpatient Systems”, IEEE Transactions on Computational Social Systems, vol. 10, 2022
• Y. Cheng, E. A. Elsayed, Z. Huang, "Systems resilience assessments: a review, framework and metrics", International Journal of Production Research, vol. 60, no. 2, pp. 595-622, 2022.
• Y. Gao, J. Wang, S. Gao and Y. Cheng*, “An Integrated Robust Design and Robust Control Strategy using the Genetic Algorithm”, IEEE Transaction on Industrial Informatics, vol. 17, no. 12, pp. 8378-8386, 2021.
• Y. Cheng and E. A. Elsayed, “Random Multi Hazard Resilience Modeling of Engineered Systems and Critical Infrastructures,” Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 209, p.107453, 2021.
• Y. Cheng, J. Wang, and Y. Wang, “A User-based Bike Rebalancing Strategy for Free-Floating Bike Sharing Systems: A Bidding Model,” Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, vol. 154, p. 102438, 2021.

Maintenance policy design

• S. Zhao, Y. Wei, Y. Cheng* and Y. Li, “A State-Specific Joint Size, Maintenance, and Inventory Policy for a k-out-of-n Load-Sharing System Subject to Self-Announcing Failures”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 257(B), p. 110855, 2025.
• Y. Wei, Y. Cheng*, and H. Liao, “A Quantitative Maintenance Policy Development Framework for a Fleet of Self-Service Systems”, Naval Research Logistics, to appear.
• Y. Wei, A. Li, Y. Cheng* and Y. Li, “An Optimal Multi-Level Inspection and Maintenance Policy for a Multi-Component System with a Protection Component”, Computers & Industrial Engineering, vol. 201, p. 110898, 2025.
• Y. Wei, & Y. Cheng*, “An Optimal Two-Dimensional Maintenance Policy for Self-Service Systems with Multi-Task Demands and Subject to Competing Sudden and Deterioration-Induced Failures”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 255, p. 110628, 2025.
• Y. Cheng, Y. Wei and H. Liao, “Optimal Sampling-based Sequential Inspection and Maintenance Plans for a Heterogeneous Product with Competing Failure Modes”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 218, p.108181, 2022.
• Y. Wei, H. Liao, and Y. Cheng*, "Making an Optimal Inspection-free Replacement Decision for a System Subject to Hidden Malfunctions", IISE Transactions, under revision.

Teams

• Ruixian Li (2022-)
  Shanghai Jiao Tong University, M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering
  Shanghai Jiao Tong University, B.Eng. in Industrial Engineering
  Research Interests: Interpretable deep learning, Statistical reliability modeling

• Ge Li (2022-)
  The University of Hong Kong, M.Sc. in Energy Engineering
  Huazhong University of Science and Technology, B.Eng. in Energy and Power Engineering
  Research Interests: Performance modeling of self-service system, EV charging operation

• Anchi Li (2021-)
  Nanyang Technological University, M.Sc. in Communication Engineering
  Southeast University, B.Eng. in Electrical Engineering and Automation
  Research Interests: Maintenance policy optimization, Reliability modeling

• Sangqi Zhao (2021-)
  University of Science and Technology of China, B.S. in Statistics
  Research Interests: RL based system maintenance and operation

• Yian Wei (2020-2024)
  Beihang University, M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering
  Beihang University, B.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering
  Research Interests: Maintenance policy optimization, Reliability modeling, Resilience assessment
  Current placement: Postdoc, The University of Hong Kong

• Zhiyi Huang (2019-2023)
  Northwestern Polytechnical University, M.Sc.
  Northwestern Polytechnical University, B.Eng.
  Research Interests: System reliability modeling, Maintenance policy design
  

• Yijia Wang (2017-2021)
  Jilin University, B.Eng.
  Research Interests: Optimization decision-making in smart agricultural production management, Water-soil-machinery coupling mechanisms and coordinated control
  Current placement: Full Professor, Excellent Young Scientists (Overseas), Northeast Agricultural University