Machine Learning Enabled Closed-Form Models to Predict Strength of Alkali-Activated Systems
Abstract
Alkali-activated mortar (AAM) is an emerging eco-friendly construction material, which can complement ordinary Portland cement (OPC) mortars. Prediction of properties of AAMs -- albeit much needed to complement experiments -- is difficult, owing to substantive batch-to-batch variations in physicochemical properties of their precursors (i.e., aluminosilicate and activator solution). In this study, a machine learning (ML) model is employed; and it is shown that the model -- once trained and optimized -- can reliably predict compressive strength of AAMs solely from their initial physicochemical attributes. Prediction performance of the model improves when multiple compositional descriptors of the aluminosilicate are combined into a singular, composite chemostructural descriptor (i.e., network ratio and number of constraints); thus, reducing the degrees of freedom. Through interpretation of the ML model's outcomes -- specifically the variable importance for the AAMs' compressive strength -- a simple, easy-to-use, closed-form analytical model is developed. Results demonstrate that the analytical model yields predictions of compressive strength of AAMs without scarifying much accuracy compared to the ML model. Overall, this study's outcomes demonstrate a roadmap -- incorporates composite chemostructural descriptors in ML models -- that can be employed to design AAMs to achieve targeted compressive strength.
Recommended Citation
T. Han et al., "Machine Learning Enabled Closed-Form Models to Predict Strength of Alkali-Activated Systems," Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Wiley, Feb 2022.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.18399
Department(s)
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Second Department
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Third Department
Materials Science and Engineering
Publication Status
Early View
Keywords and Phrases
Alkali-Activated Mortar; Compressive Strength; Constraint Theory; Network Ratio; Random Forests
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
1551-2916; 0002-7820
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2022 American Ceramic Society, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
08 Feb 2022
Comments
This project is financially supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF-CMMI: 1661609; NSF-CMMI: 1932690; and NSF-CMMI: 2034856); the Leonard Wood Institute (LWI: W911NF-07-2-0062); the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR); the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT); and Ameren Corporation.