Slope stability analysis using black widow optimization hybridized with artificial neural network

A novel metaheuristic search method, namely black widow optimization (BWO) is employed to increase the accuracy of slope stability analysis. The BWO is a recently-developed optimizer that supervises the training of an artificial neural network (ANN) for predicting the factor of safety (FOS) of a single-layer cohesive soil slope. The designed slope bears a loaded foundation in different distances from the crest. A sensitivity analysis is conducted based on the number of active individuals in the BWO algorithm, and it was shown that the best performance is acquired for the population size of 40. Evaluation of the results revealed that the capability of the ANN was significantly enhanced by applying the BWO. In this sense, the learning root mean square error fell down by 23.34%. Also, the correlation between the testing data rose from 0.9573 to 0.9737. Therefore, the postposed BWO-ANN can be promisingly used for the early prediction of FOS in real-world projects.