Response prediction of laced steel-concrete composite beams using machine learning algorithms

This paper demonstrates the potential application of machine learning algorithms for approximate prediction of the load and deflection capacities of the novel type of Laced Steel Concrete-Composite1 (LSCC) beams proposed by Anandavalli et al. (Engineering Structures 2012). Initially, global and local responses measured on LSCC beam specimen in an experiment are used to validate nonlinear FE model of the LSCC beams. The data for the machine learning algorithms is then generated using validated FE model for a range of values of the identified sensitive parameters. The performance of four well-known machine learning algorithms, viz., Support Vector Regression (SVR), Minimax Probability Machine Regression (MPMR), Relevance Vector Machine (RVM) and Multigene Genetic Programing (MGGP) for the approximate estimation of the load and deflection capacities are compared in terms of well-defined error indices. Through relative comparison of the estimated values, it is demonstrated that the algorithms explored in the present study provide a good alternative to expensive experimental testing and sophisticated numerical simulation of the response of LSCC beams. The load carrying and displacement capacity of the LSCC was predicted well by MGGP and MPMR, respectively.