Prediction And Analysis Of Concrete Compressive Strength By Machine Learning Methods
Abstract
Concrete compressive strength (CCS) is a critical parameter directly affecting the load-bearing capacity, durability, and overall safety of engineering structures. Traditional experimental approaches for determining CCS are time-consuming and costly, making predictive models an attractive alternative. In this study, thirteen different machine learning algorithms were applied to a well-established dataset (1030 samples, 8 input parameters) to estimate concrete compressive strength. Unlike many previous studies using the Yeh dataset that primarily emphasize prediction accuracy of individual models, this work presents a systematic multi-model comparison within a unified hyperparameter optimization framework. In addition to conventional performance metrics, permutation importance and SHAP-based explainability analyses are jointly employed, and detailed error evaluations are conducted across curing age and water-to-binder ratio subgroups to enhance engineering interpretability. Among the models tested, the CatBoost algorithm demonstrated the highest predictive performance (R² = 0.9469, RMSE = 3.70), followed closely by XGBoost, Gradient Boosting, and a stacking ensemble model. The results highlight that boosting-based machine learning models not only achieve high accuracy but also provide interpretable and robust predictions when evaluated through comprehensive error and explainability analyses.
Keywords
Ethical Statement
This study does not require ethics committee permission or any special permission.
Thanks
The authors have not received any financial support for the research, authorship, or publication of this study.
References
- Mehta, P. K., & Monteiro, P. J. M. Concrete Microstructure, Properties, and Materials. McGraw-Hill, 2006.
- Nguyen, H., et al. “Efficient machine learning models for prediction of concrete strengths.” Construction and Building Materials, 266 (2021) 120950.
- Meyer, C. “The greening of the concrete industry.” Cement and Concrete Composites, 31(8) (2009) 601–605.
- Aprianti, E. “A huge number of artificial waste material can be supplementary cementitious material (SCM) for concrete production–a review part II.” Journal of Cleaner Production, 142 (2017) 4178–4194.
- Feng, D.-C., et al. “Machine learning-based compressive strength prediction for concrete: An adaptive boosting approach.” Construction and Building Materials, 230 (2020) 117000.
- Ziolkowski, P., & Niedostatkiewicz, M. “Machine learning techniques in concrete mix design.” Materials, 12(8) (2019) 1256.
- Asteris, P. G., et al. “Soft computing techniques for the prediction of concrete compressive strength using Non-Destructive tests.” Construction and Building Materials, 303 (2021) 124450.
- Binici, H., Çağatay, İ. H., & Kaplan, H. “Değişik faktörlerin beton mukevemetine etkisinin deneysel olarak incelenmesi.” Pamukkale Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi, 6(3) (2000) 203–209.
Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Construction Materials
Journal Section
Research Article
Publication Date
June 30, 2026
Submission Date
November 3, 2025
Acceptance Date
February 27, 2026
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Volume: 15 Number: 2
APA
Gürfidan, R., & Erten, K. (2026). Prediction And Analysis Of Concrete Compressive Strength By Machine Learning Methods. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi, 15(2), 669-685. https://doi.org/10.17798/bitlisfen.1816694
AMA
1.Gürfidan R, Erten K. Prediction And Analysis Of Concrete Compressive Strength By Machine Learning Methods. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi. 2026;15(2):669-685. doi:10.17798/bitlisfen.1816694
Chicago
Gürfidan, Remzi, and Kemal Erten. 2026. “Prediction And Analysis Of Concrete Compressive Strength By Machine Learning Methods”. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi 15 (2): 669-85. https://doi.org/10.17798/bitlisfen.1816694.
EndNote
Gürfidan R, Erten K (June 1, 2026) Prediction And Analysis Of Concrete Compressive Strength By Machine Learning Methods. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi 15 2 669–685.
IEEE
[1]R. Gürfidan and K. Erten, “Prediction And Analysis Of Concrete Compressive Strength By Machine Learning Methods”, Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 669–685, June 2026, doi: 10.17798/bitlisfen.1816694.
ISNAD
Gürfidan, Remzi - Erten, Kemal. “Prediction And Analysis Of Concrete Compressive Strength By Machine Learning Methods”. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi 15/2 (June 1, 2026): 669-685. https://doi.org/10.17798/bitlisfen.1816694.
JAMA
1.Gürfidan R, Erten K. Prediction And Analysis Of Concrete Compressive Strength By Machine Learning Methods. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi. 2026;15:669–685.
MLA
Gürfidan, Remzi, and Kemal Erten. “Prediction And Analysis Of Concrete Compressive Strength By Machine Learning Methods”. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 15, no. 2, June 2026, pp. 669-85, doi:10.17798/bitlisfen.1816694.
Vancouver
1.Remzi Gürfidan, Kemal Erten. Prediction And Analysis Of Concrete Compressive Strength By Machine Learning Methods. Bitlis Eren Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi. 2026 Jun. 1;15(2):669-85. doi:10.17798/bitlisfen.1816694