Ruodan Zhuang has built a strong experience in the use of machine learning techniques applied in the context of advanced hydrological monitoring. She gained a strong experience on soil moisture, water quality and flood monitoring with the use of remote sensing based on satellite and UASs.
Scientific Production
Manfreda, S., J. Saavedra Navarro, C. Albertini, R. Zhuang, F.D. Pacia, S. Chaturvedi, and C. Samela. Geomorphic Flood Index 2.0: Enhanced Tools for Delineating Flood-Prone Areas in Data-Scarce Regions. 2025.
Saavedra Navarro, J., R. Zhuang, C. Albertini, and S. Manfreda. Mapping Flood Susceptibility Using Random Forest Exploiting Satellite Observations and Geomorphic Features. (under review), 2025. [pdf]
Zhuang, R., S. Manfreda, Y. Zeng, L. Zhang, B. Szabó, P. Nasta, N. Romano, and Z. Su, Unlocking Soil Moisture Patterns: Bridging Scales with a Two-Step Random Forest Downscaling Approach. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, (under review) 2025.
Moe, A.C., K.C. Saddi, R. Zhuang, D. Miglino, J.A. Saavedra Navarro, and S. Manfreda, Global-Scale Chlorophyll-A Monitoring for Inland Lake Water Quality Framework: Advancements, Machine Learning Models, and Transferability Challenges. SSRN Preprints, 2025. [pdf]
Zhuang, R., S. Manfreda, Y. Zeng, Z. Su, E. Ben Dor and G. P. Petropoulos, Soil moisture monitoring using unmanned aerial system, in Unmanned Aerial Systems for Monitoring Soil, Vegetation, and Riverine Environments edited by S. Manfreda and E. Ben Dor, Elsevier, 2023. [Link]
Han, Q., Zeng, Y., Zhang, L., Cira, C.-I., Prikaziuk, E., Duan, T., Wang, C., Szabó, B., Manfreda, S., Zhuang, R., and Su, B.: Ensemble of optimised machine learning algorithms for predicting surface soil moisture content at a global scale, Geoscientific Model Development, 16, 5825–5845, (doi: 10.5194/gmd-16-5825-2023), 2023. [pdf]
Zhang, L., Y. Zeng, R. Zhuang, B. Szabó, S. Manfreda, Q. Han, Z. Su, In Situ Observation-Constrained Global Surface Soil Moisture Using Random Forest Model. Remote Sensing, 13, 4893, (doi: 10.3390/rs13234893) 2021. [pdf]
Francos, N., N. Romano, P. Nasta, Y. Zeng, B. Szabó, S. Manfreda, G. Ciraolo, J. Mészáros, R. Zhuang, B. Su, E. Ben-Dor, Mapping Water Infiltration Rate Using Ground and UAV Hyperspectral Data: a Case Study of Alento, Italy. Remote Sensing, 13, 2606, (doi: 10.3390/rs13132606), 2021. [pdf]
Paruta, A., P. Nasta, G. Ciraolo, F. Capodici, S. Manfreda, N. Romano, E. Bendor, Y. Zeng, A. Maltese, S. F. Dal Sasso and R. Zhuang, A geostatistical approach to map near-surface soil moisture through hyper-spatial resolution thermal inertia. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 59(6), 5352 – 5369, (doi: 10.1109/TGRS.2020.3019200) 2021. [pdf]
Tmušić, G., S. Manfreda, H. Aasen, M. James, G. Gonçalves E. Ben-Dor, A. Brook, M Polinova, J.J. Arranz, J. Mészáros, R. Zhuang, K. Johansen, Y. Malbeteau, I.P. de Lima, C. Davids, S. Herban, M. McCabe, Practical guidance for UAS-based environmental mapping. Remote Sensing, 12, 1001, (doi: 10.3390/rs12061001) 2020. [pdf]
Zhuang, R.; Y. Zeng; S. Manfreda; Z. Su, Quantifying Long-term Land Surface and Root Zone Soil Moisture over Tibetan Plateau. Remote Sensing,12, 509, (doi: 10.3390/rs12030509) 2020. [pdf]