• Fluid-structure interactions

• Flow-induced energy harvesting and vibration control

• Drag reduction and mixing enhancement

• High-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

• Artificial intelligence in fluid dynamics

• Hydrodynamics and stability of offshore risers and cables

Education Experience:

• 2015.09-2021.09，Dalian  University of Technology, Structural Engineering (Ph.D.)

• 2011.09-2015.06，Dalian  University of Technology, Civil Engineering (B.E.)

• 2025.04 – ，South China University of Technology，School of Marine Science and Engineering，Associate Professor

• 2021.12-2024.12，The University of Western Australia，School of Engineering，Postdoctoral Researcher

Dr Chengjiao Ren specialises in hydrodynamics and fluid–structure interaction (FSI), with a focus on the interaction between ocean currents and offshore cylindrical structures such as risers, mooring lines and power cables. Her research bridges fundamental science and engineering practice, targeting key challenges in the design and maintenance of subsea systems for renewable energy.   

Dr. Ren has revealed flow interference effects between multiple structures, clarified how upper-platform motions affect the hydrodynamic responses of slender structures, and identified the physical mechanisms behind fluid damping. Dr Ren proposed a generalised Morison equation with defined applicability and extended it to vibrating cables in background currents. Integrating AI, she developed predictive models for flow and loads under complex metocean conditions, supporting fatigue assessment and design of subsea cables, risers, and floating foundations.   

Dr. Ren has led or contributed to four Australian fundamental research projects, published 11 SCI-indexed journal papers and 10 conference papers in fluid mechanics, including 7 in Journal of Fluid Mechanics (4 as first author). Her work is recognised by leading international experts and has been endorsed by the IEA Wind Technology Collaboration Program as a theoretical foundation for modelling floating platforms.

Research Projects:

• 2021.12-2024.12， Australian Research Council Discovery Project，Wake dynamics of oscillating cylinder in steady current (~1,950,000 RMB, Key researcher)

• 2025.01-2025.12，Western Australian Government & Pawsey Supercomputer Centre, Advanced Numerical Modelling for Developing Safer and More Efficient Ocean Infrastructure (~12,870,000 RMB, Key researcher)

• 2024.01-2024.12，Western Australian Government & Pawsey Supercomputer Centre, Advanced Numerical Modelling for Developing Safer and More Efficient Ocean Infrastructure (~20,880,000 RMB, Key researcher)

• 2023.01-2023.12，Western Australian Government & Pawsey Supercomputer Centre, Advanced Numerical Modelling for Developing Safer and More Efficient Ocean Infrastructure (~12,240,000 RMB, Key researcher)

Journal Articles

• Ren, C., Liu, Z., Cheng, L.*, Tong, F.* & Xiong, C. (2023). Three-dimensional wake transitions of steady flow past two side-by-side cylinders. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 972, A17. DOI: 10.1017/jfm.2023.699

• Ren, C., Cheng, L.*, Xiong, C., Tong, F. & Chen, T. (2021). Bistabilities in two parallel Kármán wakes. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 929, A5. DOI: 10.1017/jfm.2021.832

• Ren, C., Lu, L.*, Cheng, L.* & Chen, T. (2021). Hydrodynamic damping of an oscillating cylinder at small Keulegan-Carpenter numbers. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 913, A36. DOI: 10.1017/jfm.2020.1159

• Ren, C., Cheng, L.*, Tong, F, Xiong, C. & Chen, T. (2019). Oscillatory flow regimes around four cylinders in a diamond arrangement. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 877, 955-1006. DOI: 10.1017/jfm.2019.609

• Tong, F., Cheng, L., An, H., Griffiths, T. & Ren, C. (2025) Coherent flow structures upstream a circular cylinder near a plane wall. Physics of Fluids, 37 (1), 014126. DOI: 10.1063/5.0244473

• Zhu, D., Chen, T.*, Wang, K. & Ren, C. (2024) Dot-array porous model for windscreen and its simulation accuracy analysis, Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 254, 105921. DOI: 10.1016/j.jweia.2024.105921

• He, F., An, H.*, Ghisalberti, M., Draper, S., Ren, C., Branson, P. & Cheng, L. (2024). Obstacle arrangement can control flows through porous obstructions, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 992, A3. DOI: 10.1017/jfm.2024.510

• He, F., Ghisalberti, M.*, An, H., Draper, S., Branson, P., Ren, C. & Cheng, L. (2024). Wake structure of an array of cylinders in shallow flow, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 986, A30. DOI: 10.1017/jfm.2024.338

• Qi, X., Dai, S., Ren, C., Dong, Q. & Xiong, C.* (2023). Numerical simulation of flow-induced vibration of a circular cylinder close to a free surface at low Reynolds number, Physics of Fluids 35(4),043108. DOI: 10.1063/5.0132674

• Dong, G., Chen, T.*, Ren, C. & Wang, K. (2023). Wind tunnel investigation of wind reduction effect under porous fences protection. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics 232, 105250. DOI: 10.1016/j.jweia.2022.105250

• 张洪操, 张橙, 唐国强, 吕林. (2023). 不同排列方式下双方柱绕流的同步现象及相位特征研究.水动力学研究与进展A辑,38(05):692-702. DOI: 10.16076/j.cnki.cjhd.2023.05.006

• Xiong, C., Qi, X., Gao, A., Xu, H., Ren, C. & Cheng, L.* (2020). The bypass transition mechanism of the Stokes boundary layer in the intermittently turbulent regime. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 896, A4. DOI: 10.1017/jfm.2020.313

Conference Proceedings

• Ren, C. *, Tong, F., Zhao, J., He, F. & Cheng, L. Vortex-induced inline vibration of a circular cylinder at intermediate Reynolds numbers. Proceedings of 24^th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Canberra, Australia. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.14213573

• Ren, C.*, Cheng, L., & Tong, F. (2024). Hydrodynamic force of an obliquely oscillating cylinder in steady flow. In Proceedings of the 43^rd International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. Singapore EXPO, Singapore. DOI: 10.1115/OMAE2024-126997

• Ren, C.*, Cheng, L., & Tong, F. (2023). Hydrodynamic damping of an in-line oscillating cylinder in steady flow. In Proceedings of the 42nd International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering, Melbourne, Australia. DOI: 10.1115/OMAE2023-101340

• Ren, C.*, Cheng, L., Tong, F., & Hu, X. (2022). Wake dynamics of steady flow past an obliquely oscillating cylinder at different Reynolds numbers. In Proceedings of the 23rd Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Sydney, Australia. Paper link

• Ren, C.*, Cheng, L., & Chen, T. (2020). The upper-bound limit of Stokes-Wang solution for oscillatory flow around a circular cylinder. In Proceedings of the 22nd Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Brisbane, Australia. DOI: 10.14264/02e892a

• He, F.*, An, H., Cheng, L. & Ren, C. Three dimensionality of flow past a line of cylinders. Proceedings of 24^th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Canberra, Australia. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.14213628 (8 pages full paper)

• Liu, Z.*, Cheng, L., Ren, C. & Tong, F. (2024). Impacts of small gaps and embedment depths on forces of a circular cylinder near a plane wall. In Proceedings of the 43rd International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. Singapore EXPO, Singapore. DOI: 10.1115/OMAE2024-124959

• Dong, G.*, Cheng, L., Ren, C. & Tong, F. (2024). Experimental study on hydrodynamic damping of an oscillating cylinder under small Keulegan-Carpenter numbers. In Proceedings of the 43rd International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. Singapore EXPO, Singapore. DOI: 10.1115/OMAE2024-126665

• Liu, Z.*, Cheng, L., Ren, C., Griffiths, T., & Tong, F. (2023). Hydrodynamic Forces of Subsea Small-Diameter Pipeline in a Deep/Wide Trench. In Proceedings of the 42nd International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering, Melbourne, Australia. DOI: 10.1115/OMAE2023-103310

• He, F. *, Draper, S., Ghisalberti, M., An, H., Branson, P., Cheng, L. & Ren, C. (2022). The Wake structure behind porous obstruction in a steady current. In Proceedings of the 23rd Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Sydney, Australia. Paper link