Abstract
The compression modulus (Es) is one of the most significant soil parameters that affects the compressive deformation of geotechnical systems, such as foundations. However, it is difficult and sometime costly to obtain this parameter in engineering practice. In this study, we aimed to develop a non-parametric ensemble artificial intelligence (AI) approach to calculate the Es of soft clay in contrast to the traditional regression models proposed in previous studies. A gradient boosted regression tree (GBRT) algorithm was used to discern the non-linear pattern between input variables and the target response, while a genetic algorithm (GA) was adopted for tuning the GBRT model’s hyper-parameters. The model was tested through 10-fold cross validation. A dataset of 221 samples from 65 engineering survey reports from Shanghai infrastructure projects was constructed to evaluate the accuracy of the new model’s predictions. The mean squared error and correlation coefficient of the optimum GBRT model applied to the testing set were 0.13 and 0.91, respectively, indicating that the proposed machine learning (ML) model has great potential to improve the prediction of Es for soft clay. A comparison of the performance of empirical formulas and the proposed ML method for predicting foundation settlement indicated the rationality of the proposed ML model and its applicability to the compressive deformation of geotechnical systems. This model, however, cannot be directly applied to the prediction of Es in other sites due to its site specificity. This problem can be solved by retraining the model using local data. This study provides a useful reference for future multi-parameter prediction of soil behavior.
概要
目的
土体压缩模量是影响岩土体结构变形的重要参数 之一。本文旨在通过机器学习的方法实现对压缩 模量的预测, 并通过构建一个机器学习模型,得 到塑限、液限、塑性指数、液性指数、比贯入阻 力以及埋深这6 个输入参数与压缩模量预测值之 间的关系。
创新点
1. 构建一个机器学习算法框架以实现对土体压缩 模量的预测; 2. 此框架包括梯度提升回归树 (GBRT) 和遗传算法 (GA) 并采用 GA 对GBRT 超参数进行获取。
方法
1. 通过收集整理工程报告获取本次预测的数据集 (样本211 个);输入参数有6 个,分别为塑限、 液限、塑性指数、液性指数、比贯入阻力以及埋 深;输出参数为压缩模量。2. 采用GBRT 算法识 别输入变量与目标响应之间的非线性规律,并采 用GA 调整GBRT 模型的超参数。 3. 模型训练完 成后,对压缩模量进行预测。4. 将测试集上的预 测结果和传统方法进行对比分析并应用到一维 基础沉降中。
结论
1. 本文提出的GA-GBRT 模型可以较好地实现对 土体压缩模量的预测;GA 可以对GBRT 算法的 超参数进行有效标定。2. 训练后的GA-GBRT 模 型在训练集和测试集上都表现良好; 在训练集和 测试集上的相关系数 R 值分别为0.82 和0.91,说 明模型可以对压缩模量进行准确预测。3. 对输入 变量相对重要性的研究发现,液性指标是本研究 中最重要的变量, 其重要性得分为0.313(总数 为1); 其他指标的重要性排序依次为: :液限、塑 限、塑性指数、比贯入阻力和埋深。 4. 对于地基 沉降的预测 本文提出的模型在相关系数 R 值和 Mann-Whitney 检验结果上均优于经验公式。 5. 本 文提出的GA-GBRT 模型可以更经济、更快速地 预测土壤压缩模量。
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Acknowledgement
The authors thank Li XIAO and Ye-lu ZHOU from Tongji University, China for their help in collecting the original data for this study.
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Dong-ming ZHANG, Jin-zhang ZHANG, Hong-wei HUANG, Chong-chong QI, and Chen-yu CHANG declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51608380 and 51538009), the Key Innovation Team Program of the Innovation Talents Promotion Plan by Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2016RA4059), and the Specific Consultant Research Project of Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Company Ltd. (No. SLEC/KJB/XMGL/0130), China
Contributors
Hong-wei HUANG and Jin-zhang ZHANG designed the research. Dong-ming ZHANG and Chong-chong QI processed the corresponding data. Jin-zhang ZHANG wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Dong-ming ZHANG and Chong-chong QI helped to organize the manuscript. Hong-wei HUANG and Chen-yu CHANG revised and edited the final version.
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Zhang, Dm., Zhang, Jz., Huang, Hw. et al. Machine learning-based prediction of soil compression modulus with application of 1D settlement. J. Zhejiang Univ. Sci. A 21, 430–444 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.A1900515
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.A1900515
Key words
- Compression modulus prediction
- Machine learning (ML)
- Gradient boosted regression tree (GBRT)
- Genetic algorithm (GA)
- Foundation settlement