Fusion based learning approach for predicting concrete pouring productivity based on construction and supply parameters

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to predict the concrete pouring production rate by considering both construction and supply parameters, and by using a more stable learning method.

Design/methodology/approach

Unlike similar approaches, this paper considers not only construction site parameters, but also supply chain parameters. Machine learner fusion-regression (MLF-R) is used to predict the production rate of concrete pouring tasks.

Findings

MLF-R is used on a field database including 2,600 deliveries to 507 different locations. The proposed data set and the results are compared with ANN-Gaussian, ANN-Sigmoid and Adaboost.R2 (ANN-Gaussian). The results show better performance of MLF-R obtaining the least root mean square error (RMSE) compared with other methods. Moreover, the RMSEs derived from the predictions by MLF-R in some trials had the least standard deviation, indicating the stability of this approach among similar used approaches.

Practical implications

The size of the database used in this study is much larger than the size of databases used in previous studies. It helps authors draw their conclusions more confidently and introduce more generalised models that can be used in the ready-mixed concrete industry.

Originality/value

Introducing a more stable learning method for predicting the concrete pouring production rate helps not only construction parameters, but also traffic and supply chain parameters.

Citation

Maghrebi, M., Shamsoddini, A. and Waller, S.T. (2016), "Fusion based learning approach for predicting concrete pouring productivity based on construction and supply parameters", Construction Innovation, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 185-202. https://doi.org/10.1108/CI-05-2015-0025