Machine learning approaches to estimation of the compressibility of soft soils

The modulus of compression and coefficient of compressibility of soft soils are key parameters for assessing deformation of geotechnical infrastructure. However, the consolidation tests used to determine these two indices are time-consuming and the results are easily and heavily influenced by workma...

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Main Authors: Huifen Liu, Peiyuan Lin, Jianqiang Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Earth Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1147825/full
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author Huifen Liu
Peiyuan Lin
Peiyuan Lin
Jianqiang Wang
author_facet Huifen Liu
Peiyuan Lin
Peiyuan Lin
Jianqiang Wang
author_sort Huifen Liu
collection DOAJ
description The modulus of compression and coefficient of compressibility of soft soils are key parameters for assessing deformation of geotechnical infrastructure. However, the consolidation tests used to determine these two indices are time-consuming and the results are easily and heavily influenced by workmanship, testing apparatus, and other factors. Therefore, it is of great interest to develop a simple approach to accurately estimate these compressibility indices. This article presents the development of three machine learning (ML) models—at artificial neural network (ANN), a random forest model, and a support vector machine model—for mapping of the two compressibility indices for soft soils. A database containing 743 sets of measured physical and compression parameters of soft soils was adopted to train and validate the models. To quantify model uncertainty, the accuracies of the ML models were statistically evaluated using a bias factor defined as the ratio of the measured to the predicted compression indices. The results showed that all three ML models were accurate on average, with low dispersion in prediction accuracy. The ANN was found to be the best model, as it provides a simple analytical form and has no hidden dependency between the bias and predicted indices. Finally, the probability distribution functions of the bias factors were also determined using the fit-to-tail technique. The results of this study will be helpful in saving cost and time in geotechnical investigation of soft soils.
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spelling doaj.art-bdb9c47b7f634d488dec7aed7eb145df2023-03-24T05:13:05ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632023-03-011110.3389/feart.2023.11478251147825Machine learning approaches to estimation of the compressibility of soft soilsHuifen Liu0Peiyuan Lin1Peiyuan Lin2Jianqiang Wang3School of Transportation, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong Province, ChinaSouthern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, ChinaGuangdong Wisdom Cloud Engineering Science and Technology Co Ltd, Foshan, ChinaThe modulus of compression and coefficient of compressibility of soft soils are key parameters for assessing deformation of geotechnical infrastructure. However, the consolidation tests used to determine these two indices are time-consuming and the results are easily and heavily influenced by workmanship, testing apparatus, and other factors. Therefore, it is of great interest to develop a simple approach to accurately estimate these compressibility indices. This article presents the development of three machine learning (ML) models—at artificial neural network (ANN), a random forest model, and a support vector machine model—for mapping of the two compressibility indices for soft soils. A database containing 743 sets of measured physical and compression parameters of soft soils was adopted to train and validate the models. To quantify model uncertainty, the accuracies of the ML models were statistically evaluated using a bias factor defined as the ratio of the measured to the predicted compression indices. The results showed that all three ML models were accurate on average, with low dispersion in prediction accuracy. The ANN was found to be the best model, as it provides a simple analytical form and has no hidden dependency between the bias and predicted indices. Finally, the probability distribution functions of the bias factors were also determined using the fit-to-tail technique. The results of this study will be helpful in saving cost and time in geotechnical investigation of soft soils.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1147825/fullartificial neural networkrandom forestsupport vector machinesoft soilmodel uncertaintycompression indices
spellingShingle Huifen Liu
Peiyuan Lin
Peiyuan Lin
Jianqiang Wang
Machine learning approaches to estimation of the compressibility of soft soils
Frontiers in Earth Science
artificial neural network
random forest
support vector machine
soft soil
model uncertainty
compression indices
title Machine learning approaches to estimation of the compressibility of soft soils
title_full Machine learning approaches to estimation of the compressibility of soft soils
title_fullStr Machine learning approaches to estimation of the compressibility of soft soils
title_full_unstemmed Machine learning approaches to estimation of the compressibility of soft soils
title_short Machine learning approaches to estimation of the compressibility of soft soils
title_sort machine learning approaches to estimation of the compressibility of soft soils
topic artificial neural network
random forest
support vector machine
soft soil
model uncertainty
compression indices
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1147825/full
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