YZ Yimeng Zhang

About

I work on AI-driven optimization for multimodal, synchromodal, and maritime transport systems.

My research develops operations research, data mining, reinforcement learning, and preference-learning methods for dynamic and collaborative transport planning. Applications include rail-water-road freight networks, public transport and shared mobility, maritime logistics, port operations, and low-altitude air-ground logistics.

I received my Ph.D. from Delft University of Technology under Prof. Rudy R. Negenborn and Dr. Bilge Atasoy, and later worked with Prof. Oded Cats and Dr. Shadi Sharif Azadeh on sustainable multimodal passenger transport.

One to two doctoral students and several master's students are typically admitted each year. Prospective students can check the admissions information page.

Operations research Reinforcement learning Synchromodal freight Maritime logistics Shared mobility Vehicle routing Preference learning

Research Interests

Dynamic multimodal transport planning

Decision models for rail-water-road networks, low-altitude logistics, public transport, and shared mobility under stochastic travel times, demand, and capacity.

Learning-assisted optimization

Hybrid reinforcement learning, adaptive large neighborhood search, multi-agent control, stochastic optimization, and preference learning for real-time decisions.

Maritime and port logistics

AIS-based data mining, fleet routing, ship emissions, berth allocation, collaborative port optimization, and semantic modelling of ship behavior.

Sustainable and collaborative systems

Planning methods that coordinate operators, terminals, shippers, passengers, and public agencies while balancing cost, time, emissions, and service quality.

Appointments and Education

2025.09 - Present

Associate Professor, Southwest Jiaotong University

School of Transportation and Logistics. Research and supervision in multimodal transport optimization and AI-driven logistics.

2024.01 - 2024.08

Assistant Professor, Southwest Jiaotong University

School of Transportation and Logistics.

2023.07 - 2025.07

Postdoctoral Researcher / Collaborator, Delft University of Technology

Research on sustainable multimodal passenger transport and shared mobility with Prof. Oded Cats and Dr. Shadi Sharif Azadeh.

2019.09 - 2023.06

Ph.D., Delft University of Technology

Transportation Engineering and Logistics. Dissertation: Flexible, Dynamic, and Collaborative Synchromodal Transport Planning Considering Preferences.

2012.09 - 2019.06

Wuhan University of Technology

M.Eng. in Transport Information Engineering and Control; B.Eng. in Navigation Technology / Transport Planning.

Publications

Displayed latest first. When available, paper titles open the full-text PDF.

* Corresponding author.

  1. First page of soft-target dispatch strategies for transit services paper
    2026

    Soft-target dispatch strategies for transit services with uncertain passenger arrivals

    Wang S., Fan W., Yan X., Xu M., Zhang Y., Zhang Z. Transportmetrica A: Transport Science, online first.

    DOI Transit dispatching Uncertain passenger arrivals
  2. First page of model-assisted multi-agent reinforcement learning synchromodal re-planning paper
    2026

    Model-Assisted Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning for Collaborative Synchromodal Transport Re-Planning under Service Time Uncertainty

    Luo X., Zhang Y.*, Gan M., Liu X., Atasoy B. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 214: 105051.

    DOI TR E Multi-agent reinforcement learning
  3. First page of intermodal coopetition review paper
    2026

    Review of Intermodal Transport Coopetition Methods with Multi-Agent Participation (面向多主体参与的多式联运竞合方法研究综述)

    Gan M., Tan X., Luo X., Zhang Y.*, Zhu S., Ding W., Liu X., Ma L. Journal of Transportation Engineering and Information, online first.

    DOI Intermodal coopetition
  4. First page of spatiotemporal traffic demand graph features paper
    2026

    Integrated Prediction Model of Spatiotemporal Traffic Demand Considering Graph Features (考虑图特征的时空交通需求集成预测模型)

    You X., Gan M., Zhang Y.*, Cai X., Cheng J. Journal of Transportation Engineering and Information, online first.

    DOI Traffic demand prediction
  5. First page of air-ground multimodal transport paper
    2026

    Air-Ground Multimodal Transport Planning for Joint Passenger Mobility and Parcel Delivery: Integration of Drones, Aircraft, and Ground Vehicles

    Zhang Y., Yang C., Xi H., Peng S., Yang J., Gan M., Liu X., Ai R. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 210: 104825.

    DOI Air-ground logistics
  6. First page of priority-based multi-task scheduling paper
    2026

    Priority-Based Multi-Task Scheduling for Shared Micro-Mobility Systems

    Zhang Y., Zhu S., Chen Y., Li P., Feng J., Li R., Liu X., Gan M., Yang S., Chen N., Ai R. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 190: 105796.

    DOI Shared micro-mobility
  7. First page of data-driven maritime logistics paper
    2026

    Data-Driven Optimization for Maritime Logistics: Integrating Transport Network Mining with Ship Fleet Routing

    Zhang Y., Huang L., Wang J., Lin H., Zhu S., Gan M., Liu X., Ai R. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 183: 105451.

    DOI Maritime logistics
  8. First page of dynamic multimodal drone emergency logistics paper
    2026

    Dynamic Multimodal Transport Planning with Drones for Emergency Logistics: Mathematical Model and Heuristic Algorithm

    Zhang Y., Zhu S., Pu K., Cui H., Gan M., Liu X., Ai R. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 206: 104558.

    DOI Emergency logistics
  9. First page of low-altitude aircraft operations review
    2025

    A Review of Optimization Methods for Low-Altitude Aircraft Operations (低空飞行器运行优化决策方法综述与展望)

    Fan W., Xiao J., Wu Y., Zhang Y.*, Yang C., Gan M., Liu X. Journal of Transportation Engineering and Information, 23(3): 37-59.

    DOI Low-altitude economy
  10. First page of resilient synchromodal transport paper
    2025

    Resilient Synchromodal Transport through Learning Assisted Hybrid Simulation Optimization Model

    Dewantara S., Filom S., Razavi S., Atasoy B., Zhang Y., Saeednia M. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 181: 105366.

    DOI Resilience
  11. First page of dynamic preference multimodal trip planning paper
    2025

    Dynamic Preference-Based Multi-Modal Trip Planning of Public Transport and Shared Mobility

    Zhang Y.*, Cats O., Azadeh S. S. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 202: 104286.

    DOI Shared mobility
  12. First page of waterborne vessel fleet management paper
    2025

    Dynamic Fleet Management of Waterborne Vessels with Mixed Passenger and Parcel Services

    Miyoshi H., Zhang Y.*, Azadeh S. S., Cats O. npj Sustainable Mobility and Transport, 2(1): 16.

    DOI Nature Portfolio
  13. First page of integrated synchromodal preference learning paper
    2025

    Integrated Synchromodal Transport Planning and Preference Learning

    He M., Zhang Y.*, Atasoy B. Transportation Research Record, 2679(5): 562-582.

    DOI TRB Best Academic Paper Award
  14. First page of operational synchromodal review paper
    2025

    Operational Synchromodal Transport Planning Methodologies: Review and Roadmap

    Zhang Y.*, Tan X., Gan M., Liu X., Atasoy B. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 194: 103915.

    DOI Review
  15. First page of augmented Lagrangian synchromodal paper
    2024

    Augmented Lagrangian Relaxation-Based Coordinated Approach for Global Synchromodal Transport Planning with Multiple Operators

    Guo W., Zhang Y.*, Li W., Negenborn R. R., Atasoy B. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 185: 103535.

    DOI TR E
  16. First page of synchromodal re-planning paper
    2023

    Synchromodal Freight Transport Re-Planning under Service Time Uncertainty: An Online Model-Assisted Reinforcement Learning

    Zhang Y.*, Negenborn R. R., Atasoy B. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 156: 104355.

    DOI TR C
  17. First page of collaborative intermodal eco-label paper
    2022

    Collaborative Planning for Intermodal Transport with Eco-Label Preferences

    Zhang Y.*, Heinold A., Meisel F., Negenborn R. R., Atasoy B. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 112: 103470.

    DOI TR D
  18. First page of vague shipper preferences paper
    2022

    Synchromodal Transport Planning Considering Heterogeneous and Vague Preferences of Shippers

    Zhang Y.*, Li X., van Hassel E., Negenborn R. R., Atasoy B. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 164: 102827.

    DOI TR E
  19. First page of dynamic synchromodal transport planning workshop paper
    2022

    Dynamic Synchromodal Transport Planning under Uncertainty: A Reinforcement Learning Approach

    Zhang Y., Negenborn R. R., Atasoy B. INFORMS Transportation Science and Logistics Workshop.

    Workshop paper Reinforcement learning
  20. First page of flexible synchromodal services paper
    2022

    Synchromodal Transport Planning with Flexible Services: Mathematical Model and Heuristic Algorithm

    Zhang Y., Guo W., Negenborn R. R., Atasoy B. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 140: 103711.

    DOI TR C
  21. First page of preference-based ALNS paper
    2022

    Preference-Based Multi-Objective Optimization for Synchromodal Transport Using Adaptive Large Neighborhood Search

    Zhang Y.*, Atasoy B., Negenborn R. R. Transportation Research Record, 2676(3): 71-87.

    DOI Multi-objective ALNS
  22. First page of inland waterway pickup and delivery paper
    2020

    Pickup and Delivery Problem with Transshipment for Inland Waterway Transport

    Zhang Y., Atasoy B., Souravlias D., Negenborn R. R. International Conference on Computational Logistics, 18-35.

    Conference paper Inland waterways
  23. First page of marine oil spill emergency materials paper
    2020

    Assessment of Emergency Material Accessibility for Marine Oil Spill (海上溢油应急物资可达能力研究)

    Peng X., Wen Y., Xiao C., Huang L., Zhou C., Zhang F., Yuan H., Zhang Y.. Journal of Wuhan University of Technology (Transportation Science and Engineering), 44(1).

    Chinese article Emergency response
  24. First page of dynamic ship exhaust emissions paper
    2020

    Dynamic Calculation of Ship Exhaust Emissions Based on Real-Time AIS Data

    Huang L., Wen Y., Zhang Y.*, Zhou C., Zhang F., Yang T. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 80: 102277.

    DOI TR D
  25. First page of ship exhaust dispersion simulation paper
    2020

    Ship Exhaust Emission Dispersion Simulation Calculation Method (船舶废气排放扩散模拟计算方法研究)

    Peng X., Wen Y., Xiao C., Huang L., Zhou C., Zhang F., Yang T., Zhang Y.. Journal of Safety and Environment, 20(1): 255-264.

    Chinese article Ship emissions
  26. First page of automatic ship route design paper
    2020

    Automatic Ship Route Design between Two Ports: A Data-Driven Method

    Wen Y., Sui Z., Zhou C., Xiao C., Chen Q., Han D., Zhang Y.. Applied Ocean Research, 96: 102049.

    DOI Ship routing
  27. First page of ship behavior dynamic reasoning paper
    2019

    Mechanism of Ship Behavior Dynamic Reasoning Based on Semantics (基于语义的船舶行为动态推理机制)

    Wen Y., Zhang Y., Huang L., Zhou C., Xiao C., Zhang F. Navigation of China, 42(3): 34-39.

    Chinese article Dynamic reasoning
  28. First page of autonomous visual perception paper
    2019

    Autonomous Visual Perception for Unmanned Surface Vehicle Navigation in an Unknown Environment

    Zhan W., Xiao C., Wen Y., Zhou C., Yuan H., Xiu S., Zhang Y., Zou X., Liu X., Li Q. Sensors, 19(10): 2216.

    DOI Unmanned surface vehicles
  29. First page of semantic ship behavior harbor paper
    2019

    Semantic Modelling of Ship Behavior in Harbor Based on Ontology and Dynamic Bayesian Network

    Wen Y., Zhang Y., Huang L., Zhou C., Xiao C., Zhang F., Peng X., Zhan W., Sui Z. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 8(3): 107.

    DOI Maritime semantics
  30. First page of ship domain modeling paper
    2018

    Ship Domain Modeling Based on AIS Data (基于AIS数据的船舶领域建模)

    Wen Y., Wang Y., Zhang F., Zhang Y., Huang L., Zhou C. Navigation of China, 41(4): 1-6.

    Chinese article AIS data
  31. First page of semantic ship behaviour ontology paper
    2018

    Semantic Model of Ship Behaviour Based on Ontology Engineering

    Zhang Y.*, Wen Y., Zhang F., Zhou C., Du L., Huang L., Xiao C. The Journal of Engineering, 2018(16): 1746-1752.

    DOI Ship behaviour

For the most current citation record, please see Google Scholar.

Intellectual Property

National invention patents and software copyrights.

  1. Data-Driven Predictive Maintenance Method for Hoisting and Transportation Equipment

    National invention patent application. Application No. 202610400366.0. Co-inventor.

    National invention patent

  2. Multimodal Collaborative Transport Organization Platform V1.0

    Software copyright. Registration No. 2026SR0084714.

    Software copyright

  3. Emergency Logistics Multimodal Dynamic Route Optimization System

    Software copyright. Registration No. 2025SR0094136. First author.

    Software copyright

  4. Multimodal Transport Path Selection Method Based on Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning

    National invention patent. No. 2025104927539. First inventor.

    National invention patent

  5. Passenger-and-Freight Multimodal Planning Method Integrating Low-Altitude and Ground Transport

    National invention patent. No. 2025105924549. First inventor.

    National invention patent

  6. Ultrasound Image Recognition Method Based on Reinforcement Learning and BI-RADS Guidelines

    National invention patent. No. 202510944539. First inventor.

    National invention patent

  7. Multimodal Transport Route Optimization Method Based on Reinforcement Learning under Demand Uncertainty

    National invention patent. No. 2025464924539. First inventor.

    National invention patent

  8. Port Collaborative Optimization Method and System Based on Auction

    National invention patent. No. 2024113950487. First inventor.

    National invention patent

  9. Dynamic Route Optimization Method for Joint UAV and Multimodal Transport in Emergency Logistics

    National invention patent. No. 2025101386464. First inventor.

    National invention patent

  10. Dynamic Route Optimization Method and Apparatus for Multiple Vessels

    National invention patent. No. 2024118348376. First inventor.

    National invention patent

  11. Priority-Based Multi-Task Scheduling Method and System for Shared Mobility

    National invention patent. No. ZL2025115361994. First inventor.

    National invention patent

Funding and Projects

  1. Theories and Methods for Railway Logistics Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvement (铁路物流降本增效理论与方法研究)

    Role: Participant and topic lead. Period: 2026.01 - 2029.12.

    NSFC Joint Fund Project

  2. Optimization Technology and Collaborative Development Mechanism for High-Speed Railway Operation Plans under New Air-Rail Coopetition Trends (空铁竞合新态势下高铁开行方案优化技术与协同发展机制研究)

    Role: Participant. Period: 2026.01 - 2028.12.

    China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

  3. Intelligent Operation Technology for Large Railway Freight Hubs (大型铁路交通货运枢纽智能运行技术)

    Role: Participant and sub-project lead. Period: 2025.12 - 2028.11.

    Ministry of Science and Technology, National Key R&D Program Sub-project: Smart Operation Organization for Railway Freight Hubs under Rail-Road-Water Coordination (公铁水多方式协同下铁路货运枢纽智慧化作业组织)

  4. Key Technologies for Resilience Improvement of Road-Rail Transport Corridors in the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle (成渝双城经济圈公铁运输通道韧性提升关键技术)

    Role: Participant. Period: 2025.01 - 2027.12. Project lead: Xiaobo Liu.

    Sichuan Science and Technology Program "Pianji" Project

  5. Multi-Decision-Maker Multi-Objective Distributed Collaborative Optimization for Intermodal Transport (多式联运多决策者多目标分布式协同优化研究)

    Role: Principal Investigator. Period: 2025.01 - 2026.12.

    Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities

  6. Multi-Agent Collaborative Transport Organization on Stochastic Time-Varying Intermodal Networks in Sichuan's "Four Directions and Eight Corridors" (四川“四向八廊”多式联运随机时变网络下多主体协同运输组织优化研究)

    Role: Principal Investigator. Period: 2025.01 - 2027.06.

    Sichuan Natural Science Foundation Youth Project

  7. Sichuan Tianfu Emei Program Young Talent Project (四川省天府峨眉计划青年人才（原省青年千人）项目)

    Role: Principal Investigator. Period: 2025 - 2027.

    Sichuan Tianfu Emei Young Talent Program

  8. Dynamic Collaborative Optimization of Intermodal Transport Planning under Time Uncertainty across Rail-Road-Water Networks (公铁水多网时间不确定性下多式联运运输计划动态协同优化研究)

    Role: Principal Investigator. Period: 2025.01 - 2027.12.

    National Natural Science Foundation of China Youth Project

  9. Dynamic Optimization of Tangshan Port Intermodal Transport Planning under Rail-Road-Water Network Time Uncertainty (公铁水多网时间不确定性下唐山港多式联运运输计划动态优化研究)

    Role: Principal Investigator. Period: 2024.01 - 2025.12.

    Hebei Chunhui Talent Program (formerly Hebei Natural Science Foundation Youth Project)

  10. Seamless Shared Urban Mobility (无缝共享城市出行)

    Role: Participant. Period: 2023.06 - 2026.06. Project lead: Oded Cats.

    European Horizon 2020 Website

  11. Novel Inland Waterway Transport Concepts for Moving Freight Effectively (面向高效货运的新型内河运输概念)

    Role: Participant. Period: 2020.01 - 2024.07. Project lead: Rudy R. Negenborn.

    European Horizon 2020 Website

  12. Complexity Methods for Predictive Synchromodality (预测型协同联运复杂性方法)

    Role: Participant. Period: 2019.09 - 2022.09. Project lead: R. D. van der Mei.

    Dutch Research Council (NWO) Website

  13. Semantic Spatial Modeling of Port Water Traffic Situation (港口水上交通态势的语义空间建模)

    Role: Participant. Period: 2017.01 - 2020.12. Project lead: Yuanqiao Wen.

    National Natural Science Foundation of China General Program

Honors and Academic Service

Selected Honors

  • Sichuan Tianfu Emei Program Young Talent (formerly Provincial Young Thousand Talents), 2025.
  • Best Academic Paper Award, 103rd Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, 2024. Certificate
  • Selected for SWJTU 2024 Talent Faculty Training Series "Qingmiao Program".
  • Best Session Paper, 2nd Asian Conference on Artificial Intelligence Technology, 2018.

Academic Service

NSFC proposal reviewer, Ministry of Education graduate thesis reviewer, and young member of the Transportation Planning Division of the World Transport Convention.

Journal Reviewing

  • Transportation Research Part B: Methodological
  • Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies
  • Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review
  • IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems
  • Scientific Reports
  • Transportation
  • npj Sustainable Mobility and Transport
  • Research in Transportation Business & Management
  • Multimodal Transportation
  • OR Spectrum
  • Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence

Teaching and Students

Courses

  • Intelligent Logistics System
  • Data Science
  • Frontiers in Logistics
  • Analysis and Optimization in Logistics Systems
  • Planning and Operating Public Transport Systems

Student Supervision

  • 15 master's students co-supervised at Delft University of Technology and Southwest Jiaotong University.
  • 10 undergraduate thesis students supervised.

Contact

Email: yimengzhang@swjtu.edu.cn

School of Transportation and Logistics, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.