Based on the coefficients of the determinations (R2) of the collected input model parameters, as shown in figure 2 to figure 12, there is no direct relationship between the CS and any individual input model parameters. Therefore, multiscale model techniques, including M5P, MLR, ANN, LR, and NLR are employed to develop empirical models to forecast the CS of GPC composites incorporated nS in different mix proportion parameters, curing regimes, and specimens ages.
For creating the models, the collected datasets are split into three categories. The models were built using the larger group, which included 135 datasets. The second group is made up of 36 datasets that were utilized to test the created models, and the final group is made up of 36 datasets that were consumed to validate the suggested models (Golafshani et al., 2020; Faraj et al., 2021). The forecasts of various models were compared employing these criteria: (1) The model's validity should be established scientifically; (2) Between estimated and tested data, it should have a lower percentage of error; (3) The RMSE, OBJ, and SI values of the suggested equations should be low, while R2 value should be high.
a. Linear regression model (LR)
LR is one of the standard methods that scholars used to estimate and forecast the CS of concrete composites (Faraj et al., 2021). This model has a general form, as depicted in equation (1) (Ahmed et al., 2021b).
$$CS=a+b\left(x1\right) \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots .. \left(1\right)$$
Where, CS, \(x1\), \(a and b\) represents the compressive strength, one of the variable input parameters, and models parameters, respectively. This equation contains just one variable of input data, so to have more practical and reliable investigations, equation (2) is suggested, which contains a wide range of input variable data parameters that can cover all of the geopolymer concrete mixture proportions and curing conditions, as well as curing ages.
$$CS=a+b\left(\frac{l}{b}\right)+c\left(b\right)+d\left(FA\right)+e\left(CA\right)+f\left(SH\right)+g\left(SS\right)+h\left(M\right)+i\left(\frac{SS}{SH}\right)+j\left(nS\right)+k\left(T\right)+l\left(A\right) \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \left(2\right)$$
As mentioned earlier, all these main variables in equation (2) were described except that the a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, and l are the model parameters. Equation (2) is a one-of-a-kind equation because it incorporates a large number of independent variables to generate GPC-incorporated nS that may be extremely useful in the construction industry. On the other hand, because all variables can be adjusted linearly, the proposed equation (2) can be considered an extension of equation (1).
b. Nonlinear regression model (NLR)
In terms of the NLR, equation (3) may be regarded as a general form for proposing an NLR model (Mohammed et al., 2020). The interrelationships between the variables in equations (1) and (2) can be used to calculate the CS of normal geopolymer concrete mixtures and geopolymer concrete mixtures modified with nS using equation (3).
$$CS=a*{\left(\frac{l}{b}\right)}^{b}*({b)}^{c}*{\left(FA\right)}^{d}* {\left(CA\right)}^{e}*{\left(SH\right)}^{f}*{\left(SS\right)}^{g}*{\left(M\right)}^{h}*{\left(\frac{SS}{SH}\right)}^{i}*{\left(T\right)}^{j}*{\left(A\right)}^{k}+l*{\left(\frac{l}{b}\right)}^{m}*{\left(b\right)}^{n}*{\left(FA\right)}^{o}*{\left(CA\right)}^{p}*{\left(SH\right)}^{q}*{\left(SS\right)}^{r}*{\left(M\right)}^{s}*{\left(\frac{SS}{SH}\right)}^{t}*{\left(T\right)}^{u}*{\left(A\right)}^{v}*{\left(nS\right)}^{w} \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots ..(3)$$
Where: all of the variables in this equation were provided earlier, except that the a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, and v are described as a model parameter.
c. Multi-logistic regression model (MLR)
As with the previous models, the collected datasets were subjected to multi-logistic regression analysis, and the general form of the MLR is shown in equation (4) based on the research conducted by Mohammed et al. (2021) and Faraj et al. (2021). MLR is used to distinguish a nominal predictor variable from one or more independent variables.
$$CS=a47208een model predictions of compressive strength of fly ash based geopolymer concrete mixtures using training data*{\left(\frac{l}{b}\right)}^{b}*\left({b)}^{c}*{\left(FA\right)}^{d}*\right({CA)}^{e}*{\left(SH\right)}^{f}* {\left(SS\right)}^{g}*{\left(M\right)}^{h}*{\left(\frac{SS}{SH}\right)}^{i}*{\left(nS\right)}^{j}*{\left(T\right)}^{k}*{\left(A\right)}^{l} \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots .. \left(4\right)$$
Where: all of the variables in this equation were provided earlier. Moreover, in this equation, the value of nS should be greater than 0.
d. Artificial neural network (ANN)
ANN is a powerful simulation software designed for data analysis and computation that processes and analyzes data similarly to a human brain. This machine learning tool is widely used in construction engineering to forecast the future behavior of a variety of numerical problems (Mohammed, 2018; Sihag et al., 2018).
An ANN model is generally divided into three main layers: input, hidden, and output. Depending on the proposed problem, each input and output layer can be one or more layers. On the other hand, the hidden layer is usually ranged for two or more layers. Although the input and output layers are generally determined by the collected data and the purpose of the designed model, the hidden layer is determined by the rated weight, transfer function, and bias of each layer to other layers. A multi-layer feed-forward network is constructed using a combination of proportions, weight/bias, and several parameters as inputs, including (l/b, b, FA, CA,...), and the output ANN is compressive strength.
There is no standardized method for designing network architecture. As a result, the number of hidden layers and neurons is determined through a trial and error procedure. One of the primary goals of the network's training process is to determine the optimal number of iterations (epochs) that provide the lowest MAE, RMSE, and best R2-value close to one. The effect of several epochs on lowering the MAE and RMSE has been studied. For the purpose of training the designed ANN, the collected data set (a total of 207 data) was divided into three parts. Approximately 70% of the collected data was used as training data to train the network. The data set was tested with 15% of the total data, and the remaining data were used to validate the trained network (Demircan et al., 2011). The designed ANN was trained and tested for various hidden layers to determine optimal network structure based on the fitness of the predicted CS of GPC incorporated nS with the CS of the actual collected data. It was observed that the ANN structure with two hidden layers, 24 neurons, and a hyperbolic tangent transfer function was a best-trained network that provides a maximum R2 and minimum both MAE and RMSE (shown in Table 3). As a part of this work, an ANN model has been used to estimate the future value of the CS of GPC incorporated nS. The general equation of the ANN model is shown in equations (5), (6), and (7).
From linear node 0:
$$CS=Threshold+\left(\frac{Node 1}{1+{e}^{-B1}}\right)+\left(\frac{Node 2}{1+{e}^{-B2}}\right)+\dots \dots \dots ..\dots \dots . \left(5\right)$$
From sigmoid node 1:
$$B1=Threshold+Æ© \left(Attribute*Variable\right) \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots .. \left(6\right)$$
From sigmoid node 2:
$$B2=Threshold+Æ© \left(Attribute*Variable\right) \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \left(7\right)$$
e. M5P-tree model (M5P)
The M5P model tree reconstructs Quinlan's M5P-tree algorithm (Quinlan, 1992), a decision tree with a linear regression function added to the leaves nodes. The decision tree encapsulates the algorithms in a tree structure formed by nodes formed during training on data. The nodes of the decision tree are classified as root nodes, internal nodes, and leaf nodes. Nodes are interconnected through branches until the leaves are reached (Malerba et al., 2004). Mohammed (2018) also introduced the M5P-tree as a robust decision tree learner model for regression analysis. The linear regression functions are placed at the terminal nodes by this learner algorithm. Classifying all data sets into multiple sub-spaces assigns a multivariate linear regression model to each sub-space. The M5P-tree algorithm operates on continuous class problems rather than discrete segments and is capable of handling tasks with a high number of dimensions. It reveals the developed information of each linear model component constructed to estimate the nonlinear correlation of the data sets. The information about division criteria for the M5-tree model is obtained through the error calculation at each node. The standard deviation of the class entering that node at each node is used to analyze errors. At each node, the attribute that maximizes the reduction of estimated error is used to evaluate any task performed by that node. As a result of this division in the M5P tree, a large tree-like structure will be generated, which will result in overfitting. The enormous tree is trimmed in the followed step, and linear regression functions restore the pruned subtrees. The general equation form of the M5P-tree model is the same as the linear regression equation, as shown in equation (8).
$$CS=a+b\left(\frac{l}{b}\right)+c\left(b\right)+d\left(FA\right)+e\left(CA\right)+f\left(SH\right)+g\left(SS\right)+h\left(M\right)+i\left(\frac{SS}{SH}\right)+j\left(nS\right)+k\left(T\right)+l\left(A\right) \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots \dots .. \left(8\right)$$
Where: the descriptions of all of the variables in this equation (8) were provided earlier.