Professor Yang Zou

PhD

Pronouns: He/him
  • Professor of Construction Automation and Robotics

Research groups and centres

Portrait photograph of staff memeber, Yang Zou

Research and expertise

My research lies at the intersection of Infrastructure and Construction Engineering, Robotics and Computer Science. I develop intelligent and robotic technologies to improve productivity, safety and resilience of complex building and large-scale infrastructure systems.

I am particularly interested in three sub-areas:

  • Construction Robotics and Automation: developing digital solutions (e.g. AI, BIM, digital twin, smart sensing), inspection robots, and robotic assembly and production systems for safer, more productive and sustainable construction
  • Infrastructure Robotics: development of robotic systems for the inspection, monitoring, maintenance and repair of infrastructure facilities
  • Disaster Robotics: developing robotic sensing and AI technologies to support preparedness, response and recovery during natural hazards and other disruptive events

Since completing my PhD in December 2017, I have secured 12 research grants as PI or Co-PI from both national and international funding agencies. I have published over 70 journal articles (> 90% in JCR Q1), and 45 conference papers, having attracted >4,200 citations according to Google Scholar (4 October 2026).

I have supervised 9 PhDs (6 as primary supervisor), 19 masters and 46 undergradaute students to completion, with 10 current PhD students. Former students have progressed to academic and postdoctoral positions at institutions including Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, University of Auckland, University of Hong Kong, Nanyang Technological University and New York University Abu Dhabi.

Current research activity

  • “Developing a Construction 4.0 transformation of Aotearoa New Zealand's construction sector”, New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Endeavour Fund – Research Programmes, 2022-27

Recently completed research projects

  • “Improving Performance and Collaboration for Offsite Construction through Learning between Projects and Knowledge Reuse”, New Zealand Building Research Levy Fund, 2023-26
  • “Digital Twinning – A Future Rail Platform”, New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) Innovation Fund, 2023
  • “Automated Building Code Compliance Checking for Prefab Designs: Key Barriers and Recommendations”, New Zealand Building Research Levy Fund, 2019-22
  • “Agent-Based Building Earthquake Evacuation Simulation: AB2E2S”, New Zealand National Science Challenge (NSC) – Science for Technological Innovation (SfTI) Seed Project, 2019-22
  • “Rapid post-earthquake assessment of bridge damage through 3D BIM reconstruction”, University of Auckland Faculty Research Development Fund (FRDF), 2018-21

Recent publications

  • Agrawal, A.K., Zou, Y.*, Abdelmegid, M., Gonzalez, V. & Jin, H., 2026, “Automated generation of assembly schedules for precast building projects under uncertainty using reinforcement learning and Monte Carlo sampling”, Advanced Engineering Informatics, Elsevier, 73, pp. 104510
  • Zabin, A.*, Gonzalez, V.A., Zou, Y. & Amor, R., 2026. “WAM-ONTO: A Semantic Framework for Water Infrastructure Asset Management”, Advanced Engineering Informatics, Elsevier, 70(2026), pp. 104109
  • Yang, T., Zou, Y.*, Castillo, EDR., Lei, H. & Zhong, J., 2026, “Enhancing Bridge Scan-to-BIM Using Point Cloud Completion Techniques”, Automation in Construction, Elsevier, 181 (Part A), pp. 106285.
  • Agrawal, A.K., Zou, Y.*, Abdelmegid, M., Chen, L., Gonzalez, V. & Jin, H., 2025, “Leveraging linked data for space constraints checking of mobile cranes in modular construction assembly lookahead planning”, Advanced Engineering Informatics, Elsevier, 68 (Part C), pp. 103778
  • Zhang, C., Zou, Y.*, Wang, F. & Dimyadi, J. 2025, “Automated UAV image-to-BIM Registration for Planar and Curved Building Façades Using Structure from Motion and 3D Surface Unwrapping”, Automation in Construction, Elsevier, 174, pp.106148
  • Wang, F., Zou, Y.*, Chen, X.Y., Zhang, C., Hou, L., Castillo, E.D.R., & Lim, J.B.P., 2024, “Rapid in-flight image quality check for UAV-enabled bridge inspection”, ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Elsevier, 212, pp. 230-250

Teaching

I contribute to learning and teaching activities across the Schools programmes including:

  • CVP335 Federated Building Information Modelling (Coordinator)
  • CVC045 Pre-construction BIM coordination (Coordinator)
  • CVB110 Planning, Estimating and Cost Management
  • CVB128 Project Commercial Management

Profile

I am a Professor and Chair in Construction Automation and Robotics in the School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering at Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. Prior to my appointment at Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, I received my PhD (2017) from the University of Liverpool and held academic appointments at University of Auckland as Lecturer (2018), Senior Lecturer (2022) and Senior Lecturer Above the Bar (2024). During my time at University of Auckland, I served as the Director of Smart Digital Lab (2022-26), Co-champion of Trimble Technology Lab (TTL) (2022-26) as well as the Group Leader of Construction Engineering and Management (CEM) (2024-26).

I currently serve as Vice President (Industry & Membership) for the and a BOD member for the

Professional affiliations

  • Chartered Member, Chartered Institute of Building
  • Assocaite Fellow, Higher Education Academy

Awards

  • Best Paper Award, 2026 EG-ICE International Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering, Padova, Italy
  • Best Paper Award, 48th Australasian Universities Building Education Association International Conference, Canberra, Australia, 2025
  • Faculty of Engineering and Design (FoED) Teaching Development Award, The University of Auckland, 2025
  • Australian Decarbonising Building Industry (DBI) Network’s Visiting Fellowship, 2025
  • Best Paper Award, 6th International Conference on Civil and Building Engineering Informatics, Hong Kong, 2025
  • Young Scientist Award, New Zealand Chinese Scientists Association, 2023
  • Best Paper Award, CIB World Building Congress, Melbourne, Australia, 2022
  • Merit Award in “Singapore Challenge: The Science of Future Cities”, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 2015

External activities

  • Reviewer of >20 international journals
  • Member of Scientific Committee for >25 international conferences
  • >40 invited seminars, guest lectures and industry talks
  • External reviewer for Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust

Key collaborators

My research and enterprise activities are conducted with a range of academic and stakeholder partners, including:

  • University of Alberta
  • University College London
  • University of Leeds
  • Cardiff University
  • City University of Hong Kong
  • TU Delft
  • University of Auckland
  • University of Canterbury
  • Massey University
  • UNSW Sydney
  • University of Melbourne
  • RMIT University
  • University of Adelaide
  • Southeast University
  • Sichuan University