APPLICATION OF SUPPORT VECTOR MACHINE AND FINITE ELEMENT METHOD TO PREDICT THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE

Abstract

THE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH AND YOUNG’S MODULUS ARE THE MAIN PROPERTIES USED IN THE PROJECT OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST, SAFETY AND DESIGN OF THE STRUCTURE, AND ARE GENERALLY MEASURED IN COSTLY AND TIME-DEMANDING TESTS. THIS FACT STIMULATES THE SEARCH FOR FAST AND COST-EFFECTIVE METHODS TO INVESTIGATE THE CONCRETE’S PROPERTIES. AMONG THE CONCRETE TYPES, LIGHTWEIGHT AGGREGATE CONCRETE (LWAC) IS ONE OF THE MOST EMPLOYED WORLDWIDE, BUT IT PRESENTS LIMITED RESEARCH RESULTS AND MIX DESIGN TECHNIQUES. THUS, THIS WORK EVALUATES AND COMPARES THE PERFORMANCES OF TWO METHODS TO PREDICT THE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF LWAC’S SAMPLES: SUPPORT VECTOR MACHINE AND FINITE ELEMENT MODEL. TO THIS END, BOTH STRATEGIES USE THE LWAC’S MIX PROPORTIONS, BESIDES THE YOUNG’S MODULUS AND COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF MORTARS AND AGGREGATES OBTAINED FROM AN EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM FROM THE LITERATURE. THE RESULTS ENCOURAGE FURTHER STUDIES TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NUMERICAL TOOL THAT MAY ASSIST ENGINEERS FOR PRACTICAL PURPOSES, SINCE BOTH METHODS SHOW GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE VALIDATION DATA.