The Effects of Rock Index Tests on Prediction of Tensile Strength of Granitic Samples: A Neuro-Fuzzy Intelligent System

Yan Li, Fathin Nur Syakirah Hishamuddin, Ahmed Salih Mohammed, Danial Jahed Armaghani, Dmitrii Vladimirovich Ulrikh, Ali Dehghanbanadaki and Aydin Azizi
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Yan Li: Art College, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Xuefu Avenue, Nan’an District, Chongqing 4000678, China
Fathin Nur Syakirah Hishamuddin: Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
Ahmed Salih Mohammed: Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah 46001, Iraq
Danial Jahed Armaghani: Department of Urban Planning, Engineering Networks and Systems, Institute of Architecture and Construction, South Ural State University, 76, Lenin Prospect, 454080 Chelyabinsk, Russia
Dmitrii Vladimirovich Ulrikh: Department of Urban Planning, Engineering Networks and Systems, Institute of Architecture and Construction, South Ural State University, 76, Lenin Prospect, 454080 Chelyabinsk, Russia
Ali Dehghanbanadaki: Department of Civil Engineering, Damavand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damavand 39718-78911, Iran
Aydin Azizi: School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, Wheatley Campus, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX33 1HX, UK

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 19, 1-21

Abstract: Rock tensile strength (TS) is an essential parameter for designing structures in rock-based projects such as tunnels, dams, and foundations. During the preliminary phase of geotechnical projects, rock TS can be determined through laboratory works, i.e., Brazilian tensile strength (BTS) test. However, this approach is often restricted by laborious and costly procedures. Hence, this study attempts to estimate the BTS values of rock by employing three non-destructive rock index tests. BTS predictive models were developed using 127 granitic rock samples. Since the simple regression analysis did not yield a meaningful result, the development of models that integrate multiple input parameters were considered to improve the prediction accuracy. The effects of non-destructive rock index tests were examined through the use of multiple linear regression (MLR) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) approaches. Different strategies and scenarios were implemented during modelling of MLR and ANFIS approaches, where the focus was to consider the most important parameters of these techniques. As a result, and according to background and behaviour of the ANFIS (or neuro-fuzzy) model, the predicted values obtained by this intelligent methodology are closer to the actual BTS compared to MLR which works based on linear statistical rules. For instance, in terms of system error and a-20 index, values of (0.84 and 1.20) and (0.96 and 0.80) were obtained for evaluation parts of ANFIS and MLR techniques, which revealed that the ANFIS model outperforms the MLR in forecasting BTS values. In addition, the same results were obtained through ranking systems by the authors. The neuro-fuzzy developed in this study is a strong technique in terms of prediction capacity and it can be used in the other rock-based projects for solving relevant problems.

Keywords: rock strength; tensile behaviour; neuro-fuzzy; regression; non-destructive tests (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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