I am a PhD candidate at West Virginia University. My current research is the anisotropy and size effect of the strength of shale under compressive stress conditions. This work will help improve the understanding of roof failure in underground coal mines. I have been studying and researching in mining engineering for 10 years. My education starts from open-pit metal mines to underground coal mines. The research includes slope, ore pass, and mine roof.

Education

• B.S. in Minining Enginerring, Wuhan University of Technology, 2016
  GPA: 87.4/100, Advisor: Prof. Haiwang Ye

• M.S. in Minining Enginerring, Wuhan University of Technology, 2019
  GPA: 87.5/100, Advisor: Prof. Haiwang Ye

• Ph.D in Minining Enginerring, West Virginia University, August 2022 (expected)
  GPA: 3.89/4.0, Advisor: Prof. Brijes Mishra

Work experience

• Stability analysis of the slope in an open-pit mine
  I developed a numerical model that enable the dynamic analysis of slope failure. The outcome is part of my bachelor’s thesis, which was awarded the “Excellent bachelor’s thesis of Hubei Province”.

• Damage analysis of the ore pass wall and its protection
  I simulated the ore flow movement, determined the key position of failure, and proposed the protection strategy. My effort enables mining engineers easily to determine the failure position and damage severity on ore pass in practice.

• Anasotropy and size effect of shale strength
  I proposed an anisotropic and size-dependent failure criterion for describing the shale strength. I developed a bonded-particle model for modeling the anisotropy and size effect of shale. I am conducting the uniaxial, biaxial, and triaxial compression test of shale at different sizes and different orientations.

Publications

• Theoretical study of damage characteristics on ore pass wall based on the erosion-wearing theory
  Yun Zhao, Haiwang Ye, Tao Lei, Chao Wang, Qizhou Wang, and Mei Long
  Chinese Journal of Rock Mechanics and Engineering, 2017 | Paper

• Theoretical Calculation of Initial Collision Position on Shaft Wall of an Adit in Open-pit Mine
  Yun Zhao, Haiwang Ye, Tao Lei, Chao Wang, Qizhou Wang, and Mei Long
  Metal Mine, 2017 | Paper

• Numerical Simulation on the Motion of Ore and the Damage of Shaft Wall in Chute System of an Adit
  Haiwang Ye, Yun Zhao, Jian Ouyang, Tao Lei, Chao Wang, and Mei Long
  Metal Mine, 2017 | Paper

• Failure Modes in Brazilian Splitting Test on Limestone with Weak Structural Planes
  Zixuan Li, Tao Lei, Haiwang Ye, Yun Zhao, Qizhou Wang, and Lifeng Li
  Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, 2020 | Paper

• DEM Analysis of the Effect of Lamination Properties on the Stability of an Underground Coal Mine Entry with Laminated Shale Roof
  Qingwen Shi, Brijes Mishra, Yun Zhao
  Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, 2022 | Paper

Presentation and poster

• Numerical investigation of the size effect of laminated shale under biaxial compressive stress state
  Yun Zhao and Brijes Mishra
  SME/PCMIA Student Competition Presentation, 2020

• Size effect on the strength of shale under different compressive stress conditions
  Yun Zhao and Brijes Mishra
  SME/PCMIA Student Competition Presentation, 2021 | Picture

• Size-dependent Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion
  Yun Zhao and Brijes Mishra
  SME Graduate Poster Contest, 2022 | Picture

• Numerical investigation of the size effect on shale strength under uniaxial stress state
  Yun Zhao, Brijes Mishra and Qingwen Shi
  SME Annual Conference, 2022 | Picture | Paper

Awards

• Outstanding Graduate Student Scholarship, Wuhan University of Technology, 2016
• National Graduate Student Scholarship, 2017
• National Graduate Student Scholarship, 2018
• WAAIME Scholarship, SME, 2020
• WAAIME Scholarship, SME, 2021
• Mining Engineering Faculty Award, West Virginia University, 2021
• Syd S. and Felicia F. Peng Ground Control in Mining Scholarship, SME, 2022 Picture