Optimizing the utilization of Metakaolin in pre-cured geopolymer concrete using ensemble and symbolic regressions

Abstract The optimization of metakaolin (MK) in pre-cured geopolymer concrete involves developing predictive models to capture the interplay of various influencing factors and guide mix design for improved compressive strength and sustainability. Ensemble methods and symbolic regression are promisin...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kennedy C. Onyelowe, Viroon Kamchoom, Ahmed M. Ebid, Shadi Hanandeh, José Luis Llamuca Llamuca, Fabián Patricio Londo Yachambay, José Luis Allauca Palta, M. Vishnupriyan, Siva Avudaiappan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91049-1
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850029307400814592
author Kennedy C. Onyelowe
Viroon Kamchoom
Ahmed M. Ebid
Shadi Hanandeh
José Luis Llamuca Llamuca
Fabián Patricio Londo Yachambay
José Luis Allauca Palta
M. Vishnupriyan
Siva Avudaiappan
author_facet Kennedy C. Onyelowe
Viroon Kamchoom
Ahmed M. Ebid
Shadi Hanandeh
José Luis Llamuca Llamuca
Fabián Patricio Londo Yachambay
José Luis Allauca Palta
M. Vishnupriyan
Siva Avudaiappan
author_sort Kennedy C. Onyelowe
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The optimization of metakaolin (MK) in pre-cured geopolymer concrete involves developing predictive models to capture the interplay of various influencing factors and guide mix design for improved compressive strength and sustainability. Ensemble methods and symbolic regression are promising approaches for this task due to their complementary strengths and solving challenges associated with repeated experiments in the laboratory. Choosing machine learning predictions over repeated, expensive, and time-consuming experiments in research projects, such as optimizing the utilization of metakaolin in pre-cured geopolymer concrete, presents a paradigm shift in how data-driven insights can revolutionize material development. The integration of ensemble and symbolic regression models enables researchers to derive valuable predictions and optimize critical performance parameters efficiently. In this research work, 235 records were collected from extensive literature search for compressive strength for different mixing ratios of pre-cured metakaolin-based geopolymer concrete with concrete at different ages. Each record contains MK: The content of metakaolin (kg/m3), SHS: Sodium hydroxide solution content (kg/m3), SHSM: Sodium hydroxide solution molarity (Mole), SSS: Sodium silicate solution content (kg/m3), W: Extra water content (not including the water in alkaline solutions) (kg/m3), W/S: Water to Solid ratio (Total water content / Solid part of activator solutions + MK), Na2O/Al2O3: Sodium oxide to aluminium oxide ratio, SiO2/Al2O3: Silicon oxide to aluminium oxide ratio, H2O/Na2O: Water to Sodium oxide ratio, CA/FA: Coarse to Fine aggregate ratio, CAg: The content of coarse aggregates (kg/m3), SP: The content of super-plasticizer (kg/m3), PCC: 0 for no pre-curing, 1 for pre-curing at 60 °C, and 2 for pre-curing at 80 °C, CT: Curing temperature (°C), Age: The concrete age at testing (days) and CS: Compressive strength (MPa). The collected records were portioned into training set (180 records≈75%) and validation set (55 records≈ 25%) and modeled with ensemble and symbolic regression methods. At the end of the model work, performance metrics were used to evaluate the models’ ability and Hoffman and Gardener’s sensitivity analysis was used to evaluate the impact of the variables on the compressive strength of the pre-cured geopolymer concrete mixed with metakaolin. GB and KNN models became the decisive models with excellent performance which outclassed others and the sensitivity analysis indicated that SHSM, SSS, W/S, and Na2O/Al2O3 are the most influential to the predicted compressive strength.
format Article
id doaj-art-5d6a1cfd5e4041bba3e4531d55bbafaa
institution DOAJ
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-5d6a1cfd5e4041bba3e4531d55bbafaa2025-08-20T02:59:32ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115113410.1038/s41598-025-91049-1Optimizing the utilization of Metakaolin in pre-cured geopolymer concrete using ensemble and symbolic regressionsKennedy C. Onyelowe0Viroon Kamchoom1Ahmed M. Ebid2Shadi Hanandeh3José Luis Llamuca Llamuca4Fabián Patricio Londo Yachambay5José Luis Allauca Palta6M. Vishnupriyan7Siva Avudaiappan8Department of Civil Engineering, College of Eng & Eng Technology, Michael Okpara University of AgricultureExcellent Center for Green and Sustainable Infrastructure, Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL)Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Future University in EgyptDepartment of Civil Engineering, al-Balqa Applied UniversityFacultad de Administración de Empresas, Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo (ESPOCH)Facultad de Ciencias, Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo (ESPOCH)Instituto Superior Tecnológico General Eloy Alfaro (ISTGEA)Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, SR UniversityDepartamento de Ciencias de la Construcción, Facultad de Ciencias de la Construcción Ordenamiento Territorial, Universidad Tecnológica MetropolitanaAbstract The optimization of metakaolin (MK) in pre-cured geopolymer concrete involves developing predictive models to capture the interplay of various influencing factors and guide mix design for improved compressive strength and sustainability. Ensemble methods and symbolic regression are promising approaches for this task due to their complementary strengths and solving challenges associated with repeated experiments in the laboratory. Choosing machine learning predictions over repeated, expensive, and time-consuming experiments in research projects, such as optimizing the utilization of metakaolin in pre-cured geopolymer concrete, presents a paradigm shift in how data-driven insights can revolutionize material development. The integration of ensemble and symbolic regression models enables researchers to derive valuable predictions and optimize critical performance parameters efficiently. In this research work, 235 records were collected from extensive literature search for compressive strength for different mixing ratios of pre-cured metakaolin-based geopolymer concrete with concrete at different ages. Each record contains MK: The content of metakaolin (kg/m3), SHS: Sodium hydroxide solution content (kg/m3), SHSM: Sodium hydroxide solution molarity (Mole), SSS: Sodium silicate solution content (kg/m3), W: Extra water content (not including the water in alkaline solutions) (kg/m3), W/S: Water to Solid ratio (Total water content / Solid part of activator solutions + MK), Na2O/Al2O3: Sodium oxide to aluminium oxide ratio, SiO2/Al2O3: Silicon oxide to aluminium oxide ratio, H2O/Na2O: Water to Sodium oxide ratio, CA/FA: Coarse to Fine aggregate ratio, CAg: The content of coarse aggregates (kg/m3), SP: The content of super-plasticizer (kg/m3), PCC: 0 for no pre-curing, 1 for pre-curing at 60 °C, and 2 for pre-curing at 80 °C, CT: Curing temperature (°C), Age: The concrete age at testing (days) and CS: Compressive strength (MPa). The collected records were portioned into training set (180 records≈75%) and validation set (55 records≈ 25%) and modeled with ensemble and symbolic regression methods. At the end of the model work, performance metrics were used to evaluate the models’ ability and Hoffman and Gardener’s sensitivity analysis was used to evaluate the impact of the variables on the compressive strength of the pre-cured geopolymer concrete mixed with metakaolin. GB and KNN models became the decisive models with excellent performance which outclassed others and the sensitivity analysis indicated that SHSM, SSS, W/S, and Na2O/Al2O3 are the most influential to the predicted compressive strength.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91049-1Geopolymer concreteMetakaolinMachine learningSensitivity analysisSustainable concreteCompressive strength
spellingShingle Kennedy C. Onyelowe
Viroon Kamchoom
Ahmed M. Ebid
Shadi Hanandeh
José Luis Llamuca Llamuca
Fabián Patricio Londo Yachambay
José Luis Allauca Palta
M. Vishnupriyan
Siva Avudaiappan
Optimizing the utilization of Metakaolin in pre-cured geopolymer concrete using ensemble and symbolic regressions
Scientific Reports
Geopolymer concrete
Metakaolin
Machine learning
Sensitivity analysis
Sustainable concrete
Compressive strength
title Optimizing the utilization of Metakaolin in pre-cured geopolymer concrete using ensemble and symbolic regressions
title_full Optimizing the utilization of Metakaolin in pre-cured geopolymer concrete using ensemble and symbolic regressions
title_fullStr Optimizing the utilization of Metakaolin in pre-cured geopolymer concrete using ensemble and symbolic regressions
title_full_unstemmed Optimizing the utilization of Metakaolin in pre-cured geopolymer concrete using ensemble and symbolic regressions
title_short Optimizing the utilization of Metakaolin in pre-cured geopolymer concrete using ensemble and symbolic regressions
title_sort optimizing the utilization of metakaolin in pre cured geopolymer concrete using ensemble and symbolic regressions
topic Geopolymer concrete
Metakaolin
Machine learning
Sensitivity analysis
Sustainable concrete
Compressive strength
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91049-1
work_keys_str_mv AT kennedyconyelowe optimizingtheutilizationofmetakaolininprecuredgeopolymerconcreteusingensembleandsymbolicregressions
AT viroonkamchoom optimizingtheutilizationofmetakaolininprecuredgeopolymerconcreteusingensembleandsymbolicregressions
AT ahmedmebid optimizingtheutilizationofmetakaolininprecuredgeopolymerconcreteusingensembleandsymbolicregressions
AT shadihanandeh optimizingtheutilizationofmetakaolininprecuredgeopolymerconcreteusingensembleandsymbolicregressions
AT joseluisllamucallamuca optimizingtheutilizationofmetakaolininprecuredgeopolymerconcreteusingensembleandsymbolicregressions
AT fabianpatriciolondoyachambay optimizingtheutilizationofmetakaolininprecuredgeopolymerconcreteusingensembleandsymbolicregressions
AT joseluisallaucapalta optimizingtheutilizationofmetakaolininprecuredgeopolymerconcreteusingensembleandsymbolicregressions
AT mvishnupriyan optimizingtheutilizationofmetakaolininprecuredgeopolymerconcreteusingensembleandsymbolicregressions
AT sivaavudaiappan optimizingtheutilizationofmetakaolininprecuredgeopolymerconcreteusingensembleandsymbolicregressions