In the heart of Nigeria, researchers are transforming industrial waste into a powerful tool for sustainable construction, with implications that could ripple through the energy sector. Kennedy C. Onyelowe, a civil engineering expert from the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, is leading the charge, leveraging advanced machine learning techniques to unlock the potential of waste marble in concrete production.
Every year, the marble industry generates vast amounts of waste from cutting and polishing processes. This waste, often discarded, can now find new purpose as a partial replacement in concrete mixtures, thanks to Onyelowe’s innovative research. By incorporating waste marble into concrete, the construction industry can address environmental concerns and contribute to the sustainability of building materials.
Onyelowe’s study, published in Scientific Reports, explores the impact of waste marble on the compressive strength of traditional concrete using machine learning (ML) models. This approach offers a significant advantage over traditional laboratory experiments, which can be costly and time-consuming. “Machine learning provides a faster and more sustainable way to explore the potential of waste marble in improving concrete’s compressive strength,” Onyelowe explains.
The research employs advanced ML techniques, including Group Methods Data Handling Neural Network (GMDH-NN), Support Vector Regression (SVR), K-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), and Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost). These models were trained and validated using a dataset of 1135 waste marble concrete entries, containing various constituents such as cement density, waste marble, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate, water, superplasticizer, and curing age.
The results are promising. The kNN and AdaBoost models demonstrated exceptional performance, with a sum of squared error (SSE) of 1408.5 MPa² and 1397 MPa² respectively, and an accuracy of 95.5%. These findings suggest that waste marble can significantly enhance the compressive strength of concrete, making it a viable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional materials.
But the implications of this research extend beyond the construction industry. The energy sector, which relies heavily on concrete for infrastructure development, could benefit greatly from these findings. By adopting waste marble concrete, energy companies can reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Onyelowe’s work also sheds light on the individual impact of various input variables on the compressive strength of concrete. According to the Hoffman sensitivity analysis, factors such as age, coarse aggregates, water, and plasticizer play the most significant roles. However, waste marble also showed a remarkable influence on the behavior of the concrete, making it a recommended potential replacement for cement.
As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change and resource depletion, innovations like Onyelowe’s offer a beacon of hope. By turning industrial waste into a valuable resource, we can build a more sustainable future for all. The energy sector, in particular, has a significant role to play in this transition. By embracing waste marble concrete, energy companies can lead the way towards a greener, more sustainable future.
This research, published in Scientific Reports, opens up new avenues for exploration in the field of sustainable construction materials. As Onyelowe continues to refine his models and expand his dataset, the potential applications of waste marble concrete are likely to grow. The future of construction, it seems, is not just about building stronger, but also about building greener. And with researchers like Onyelowe at the helm, that future is looking brighter than ever.