New Formulation of Compressive Strength of Preformed-Foam Cellular Concrete: An Evolutionary Approach

In the present study, new empirical models are derived to predict the compressive strength of preformed foam cellular concrete using volumetric and weighted approaches. The proposed models are generated by utilizing a robust predictive tool known as genetic programming. A comprehensive database is collected from the literature to cover a wide range of mixture components (such as sand and pozzolans) and mix proportions. The models link the compressive strength to binder, water, and foam volume. Validation of the best model is carried out by using a portion of the data set that is not employed in the calibration process. A comparative study is conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed model versus other models presented in the literature. Sensitivity and parametric analyses were conducted. The final model has a simple formulation and provides better prediction performance than the other models in the literature.