Estimation on compressive strength of recycled aggregate self-compacting concrete using interpretable machine learning-based models

Abstract

Purpose

Recycled aggregate self-compacting concrete (RASCC) has the potential for sustainable resource utilization and has been widely applied. Predicting the compressive strength (CS) of RASCC is challenging due to its complex composite nature and nonlinear behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

This study comprehensively evaluated commonly used machine learning (ML) techniques, including artificial neural networks (ANN), random trees (RT), bagging and random forests (RF) for predicting the CS of RASCC. The results indicate that RF and ANN models typically have advantages with higher R2 values, lower root mean square error (RMSE), mean square error (MSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) values.

Findings

The combination of ML and Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) interpretable algorithms provides physical rationality, allowing engineers to adjust the proportion based on parameter analysis to predict and design RASCC. The sensitivity analysis of the ML model indicates that ANN’s interpretation ability is weaker than tree-based algorithms (RT, BG and RF). ML regression technology has high accuracy, good interpretability and great potential for predicting the CS of RASCC.

Originality/value

ML regression technology has high accuracy, good interpretability and great potential for predicting the CS of RASCC.

Citation

Yang, S., Chen, T. and Xu, Z. (2024), "Estimation on compressive strength of recycled aggregate self-compacting concrete using interpretable machine learning-based models", Engineering Computations, Vol. 41 No. 10, pp. 2727-2773. https://doi.org/10.1108/EC-05-2024-0452