Pei Zhang

Dr. Pei Zhang is an Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology at the University of Queensland. With expertise spanning computational fluid dynamics, particle-fluid interactions, and environmental engineering, Dr. Zhang contributes significantly to research in sediment transport, porous media flow, and microplastics research.

Dr. Zhang's research focuses on the intersection of computational methods and environmental fluid mechanics, particularly in:

• Development and application of advanced computational models (Lattice Boltzmann Method, Discrete Element Method)
• Particle-fluid interactions with complex morphologies
• Microplastic transport and retention in porous media
• Constructed wetland systems for wastewater treatment
• Sediment-water interface processes and nutrient transport

Analysis of Dr. Zhang's recent publications reveals a strong trend toward increasingly sophisticated computational methods for modeling fluid-particle systems. The research spans fundamental fluid mechanics of particle settling to applied environmental engineering problems like microplastic contamination and wastewater treatment. A notable pattern is the development of the "metaball" approach for handling complex particle shapes, which has been applied to various environmental systems with growing complexity from 2021 to 2025.

Dr. Zhang is available for supervision of graduate students, indicating active involvement in mentoring the next generation of researchers in computational environmental engineering. The research appears to be conducted within collaborative frameworks involving multiple institutions, as evidenced by co-authorship patterns spanning Australian and Chinese research groups.

Dr. Zhang's work is conducted within the computational and experimental facilities of the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Queensland, likely collaborating with research groups focused on environmental fluid mechanics, computational modeling, and water treatment technologies. The research has direct applications to contemporary environmental challenges including microplastic pollution mitigation and optimization of engineered water treatment systems.