Research

Research Grants

• PI, “An O2O Flipped Classroom for Students’ Collaboration and Innovation Development”, Teaching Development Grant, HKU, 2020.09-2022.02
• PI, “Operational-Use Reliability Prediction and Optimal Inspection and Maintenance Plan Design for Heterogeneous Charging Piles for Electric Vehicles”, Early Career Scheme, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2022.01-2025.02
• PI, “A Performance-based Reliability Modelling and Optimization Framework for Photovoltaic Fleets”, General Research Fund, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2024.01-2026.12
• PI, “A Service Reliability Modelling and Profit Optimization Framework for Battery Swapping Stations”, General Research Fund, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2025.01-2027.12
• PI, “A Framework for Self-Service System Profit Maximization: From Service Reliability Modeling to Maintenance Policy Design”, General Research Fund, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2026.01-2028.12
• PI, “Design and Development of a Smart AHU Management System”, Green Energy Engineering Consultancy Limited, 2025.02 - 2027.07
• Deputy Program Coordinator, “nD Blockchain for ESG Reporting”, Innovation and Technology Support Program, Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF), 2021 - 2024

Publications

Reliability Modelling and Testing

• R. Li, Y. Li, and Y. Cheng*, “A Periodic Fractional Wiener Process for Remaining Useful Life Prediction of Photovoltaic Systems with Long-Range Dependence”, Technometrics, accepted.
• Z. Huang, Y. Wei, and Y. Cheng*, “A Quantitative Framework for Performance-based Reliability Prediction for a Multi-Component System Subject to Dynamic Self-Reconfiguration”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 262, p. 111188, 2025. 
• T. Wu, L. Ma, Y. Cheng, K. Zhang, K. Li, Y. Yang, H. Liu and C. Wang, “Stochastic Modeling of Human Lumbar Functional Spinal Units System Degeneration”, IISE Transactions, vol.57, 2025.
• R. Li, J. Wu, Y. Li, and Y. Cheng, “PeriodNet: Noise-Robust Fault Diagnosis Method under Varying Speed Conditions”, IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems, vol. 35, no. 10, p. 14045-14059, 2024.
• Y. Wei, Y. Cheng*, and 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 and Engineering, vol.22, p. 10029, 2024.
• 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.107544, 2021.
• Y. Cheng and E. A. Elsayed, “Design of Optimal Hybrid Sequential Testing Plans,” IISE Transactions, vol.53, p. 830-841, 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, p. 27-36, 2018.
• Y. Cheng and E. A. Elsayed, “Optimal Sequential ALT Plans for Systems with Mixture of One-Shot Units,” IEEE Transactions on Reliability, vol. 66, no. 4, p. 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, p. 58-66, Nov. 2017.
• Y. Cheng and E. A. Elsayed, “Reliability Modeling and Prediction of Systems with Mixture of Units,” IEEE Transactions on Reliability, vol. 65, no. 2, p. 914-928, Jun. 2015.

Maintenance Policy Design

• Y. Wei, S. Zhao, and Y. Cheng*, “An Optimal Joint Predictive Maintenance and Mission Abort Policy Under a Cumulative Working Time Success Criterion”, Risk Analysis, accepted.
• Y. Wei, H. Liao, and Y. Cheng*, “Making an Optimal Inspection-free Maintenance Decision for a System Subject to Hidden Malfunctions”, IISE Transactions, accepted.
• S. Zhao, Y. Wei, Y. Li and Y. Cheng*, “An Optimal Joint Maintenance and Mission Abort Policy for a System Executing Multi-Attempt Missions”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 266(A), p.111667, 2026.
• S. Zhao, Y. Wei, Y. Li, and Y. Cheng*, “A Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) Framework for Designing an Optimal State-Specific Hybrid Maintenance Policy for a Series k-out-of-n Load-Sharing System”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 265(A), p. 111587, 2026.
• Y. Wei, A. Li, Y. Li, and Y. Cheng*, “An Optimal Predictive Inspection and Maintenance Policy for a Multi-State System Subject to Self-Announcing Failures: A Belief-based SMDP Approach”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 265(B), p.111497, 2026
• Y. Wei, Y. Cheng*, and H. Liao, “A Quantitative Maintenance Policy Development Framework for a Fleet of Self-Service Systems”, Naval Research Logistics, vol.52, no. 5, 750-767, 2025.
• 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, 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 and 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, S. Zhao, and Y. Cheng*, "An Optimal Multi-Level Inspection and Maintenance Policy for a Multi-Component System: An Enhanced Successively Approximated Point-Based Value-Iteration Algorithm", Frontiers of Engineering Management, under revision.

Resilience Modelling and Optimization

• Y. Wei, Y. Cheng, and H. Liao, “Optimal Maintenance of a Critical Infrastructure subject to Dependent Recurrent Hazards”, Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure, accepted.
• Y. Wei, Y. Cheng*, H. Liao, and E. A. Elsayed, “Resilience Modeling for an Engineered Network with Multimodal Performance under Multiple Recurrent Hazards”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 266(A), p.111640, 2026.
• Y. Wei, Y. Cheng*, and H. Liao, “Optimal Resilience-Based Restoration of a System Subject to Recurrent Dependent Hazards”, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 247, p. 110137, 2024.
• Y. Cheng, H. Liao, and E. Elsayed, “From Reliability to Resilience: More Than Just Taking One Step Further”, IEEE Transactions on Reliability, vol. 73, no. 1, p. 42-46, 2024.
• C. Zou, Y. Cheng*, and 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, no.3, p. 1230-1240, 2023.
• J. Wang, Y. Gao, and Y. Cheng, “On Time-Dependent Critical Platforms and Tracks in Metro Systems,” Transportation Science, vol. 56, no. 4, p. 953-971, 2022.
• C. Zou, J. Wang, and Y. Cheng*, “Critical Department Analysis for Large-Scale Outpatient Systems”, IEEE Transactions on Computational Social Systems, vol. 10, no. 6, p. 3194-3203, 2022
• Y. Cheng, E. A. Elsayed, and Z. Huang, "Systems resilience assessments: a review, framework and metrics", International Journal of Production Research, vol. 60, no. 2, p. 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 Transactions on Industrial Informatics, vol. 17, no. 12, p. 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.

My Research Group

• Lingyu Guo (2025-)
  The University of Hong Kong, M.Sc. in Data Science
  Beihang University, B.Eng. in Software Engineering
  Research Interests: Deep Reinforcement Learning, Data Analytics

• Yi Luo (2025-)
  Tianjin University, M.Mgt. in Management Science and Engineering
  Tianjin University, B.Mgt. in Industrial Engineering
  Research Interests: Reliability Engineering, Markov Decision Process

• 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, Applied Statistical Modeling, Bayesian Data Analytics

• 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: Reliability Engineering

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

• Sangqi Zhao (2021-)
  University of Science and Technology of China, B.S. in Statistics
  Research Interests: Deep Reinforcement Learning, Markov Decision Process

• Yian Wei(2020-2024)
  Beihang University, M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering
  Beihang University, B.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering
  Research Interests: Reliability Engineering, Resilient Engineering, Reinforcement Learning
  Current placement: Assistant Professor, City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan)

• Zhiyi Huang (2019-2023)
  Northwestern Polytechnical University, M.Sc.
  Northwestern Polytechnical University, B.Eng.
  Research Interests: Reliability Engineering
  Current placement: Postdoctoral Researcher, The University of Hong Kong

• 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: Professor, NSFC Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Overseas) Program, Northeast Agricultural University