Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures

Prediction performance of compressive strength of cementitious materials

containing rubber aggregates and filler using fuzzy logic method
Mohamed Turki, Ines Zarrad, Michéle Quéneudec, Jamel Bouaziz,
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To cite this document:
Mohamed Turki, Ines Zarrad, Michéle Quéneudec, Jamel Bouaziz, (2017) "Prediction performance
of compressive strength of cementitious materials containing rubber aggregates and filler using fuzzy
logic method", Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, Vol. 13 Issue: 2, pp.284-296,
https://doi.org/10.1108/MMMS-12-2016-0066
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MMMS
13,2
284
Received 25 December 2016
Revised 13 February 2017
20 March 2017
Accepted 10 April 2017
Downloaded by Doctor Mohamed Turki At 06:22 13 August 2017 (PT)
Multidiscipline Modeling in
Materials and Structures
Vol. 13 No. 2, 2017
pp. 284-296
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1573-6105
DOI 10.1108/MMMS-12-2016-0066
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/1573-6105.htm
Prediction performance
of compressive strength
of cementitious materials
containing rubber aggregates and
filler using fuzzy logic method
Mohamed Turki, Ines Zarrad, Michéle Quéneudec and Jamel Bouaziz
Department of Material Engineering,
National School of Engineers of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia and
University of Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focus on compressive strength modelling of cementitious mixtures
like mortar and Roller-compacted concrete (RCC) containing rubber aggregates from shredded worn tires and
filler using adaptive neuro fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS).
Design/methodology/approach – The volume substitution contains a ratio of rubber aggregates vs sand
in mortar and with crushed sand in RCC and ranges from 0 to 50 per cent. As for the filler, they are substituted
with sand by 5 per cent in mortar mixture. The methodology consists of optimizing the percentage of
substitution in cementitious mixtures to ensure better mechanical properties of materials like compressive
strength. The prediction of compressive strength and the optimization of cementitious mixtures encourage
their uses in such construction pavements, in area games or in other special constructions. These cementitious
materials are considered as friendly to the environment by focussing on their improved deformability.
Findings – The results of this paper show that the performance of the constructed fuzzy method was
measured by correlation of experimental and model results of mortar and RCC mixtures containing both
rubber aggregates and filler. The comparison between elaborated models through the error and the accuracy
calculations confirms the reliability of the ANFIS method.
Originality/value – The purpose of this paper is to assess the performance of the constructed fuzzy model
by the ANFIS method for two types of cementitious materials like mortar and RCC containing rubber
aggregates and filler. The fuzzy method could predict the compressive strength based on the limited
measurement values in the mechanical experiment. Furthermore, the comparison between the elaborated
models confirms the reliability of the ANFIS method through the error and the accuracy calculations for the
best cementitious material mixtures.
Keywords Compressive strength, ANFIS, Rubber, Cementitious materials, Filler, Performance modelling
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Roller-compacted concrete (RCC) is recognized as a durable material in pavements. It can
also be used in urban street reconstruction, residential subdivision roads, industrial and
commercial sites, hard stands, automobile manufacturing facilities, etc. In addition, it is
quite economical because of its low production cost in comparison with bituminous binder,
and develops high coverage on roadways. Pavement surfaces coated with RCC are
considered as rigid pavements. In fact, the bituminous flexible pavements suffer from the
disadvantage of their suppleness under the effect of heavy traffic. This high tonnage causes
the development of ruts and ridges.
Nowadays, the increase in worn tyres each year introduces a strong negative impact on the
environment. Rubber shredded from worn tyres is a mixture of different proportions of
The authors would like to thank the research Group REGIM at the National School of Engineering of
Sfax in TUNISIA for their technical support during the modelling work using the fuzzy logic method.
 natural and synthetic rubber, carbon black, sulfur, and other chemicals. Several studies have Compressive
been carried out to reuse rubber aggregates in cementitious composites and solve the waste strength of
tires problem (Benazzouk et al., 2003; Labani et al., 2004; Turki, Ben Naceur, Makni, Rouis and cementitious
Sai, 2009). Benazzouk et al. (2003) have investigated the influence of the alveolar texture of
rubber aggregates on the physico-mechanical behaviour of cement-rubber composites. materials
Labani et al. (2004) have reused rubber aggregates in cementitious composites to evaluate their
hydrothermal behaviour. Turki, Zarrad, Mollines, Rouis and Queneudec (2009) and Turki, 285
Ben Naceur, Makni, Rouis and Sai (2009) have focused on microstructure of rubberized-mortar
mixtures and their influence on the specimens physico-mechanical properties.
In other cases, the effect of rubber increases the concrete deformability remarkably
without facing the rutting problem of RCC pavements. For instance, the research of Patell
and Pitroda (2015) focused on crumb rubber with various proportions for mixing of
bituminous pavements to optimize rubber percentage that can be used to obtain the desired
strength. In addition, it revealed that rubberized concrete had the ability to absorb a large
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amount of plastic energy under compressive and tensile loads. Other related studies
( Jingfu et al., 2009) revealed the inferred mechanical properties with shrinkage behaviour of
RCC containing rubber additives. It did not demonstrate the typical brittle failure, but rather
a ductile, plastic failure mode (Neil and Senouci, 1994). According to Shafieyzadeh (2013),
styrene-butadiene rubber in concrete can reduce water binder ratio effectively and slightly
enhance both flexural and compressive strengths in the presence of silica fume. Other works
used rubber and fly ash with Portland cement as construction materials. Mortar-rubber
aggregates with fly ash could be the leading material in sustainable construction
(Yilmaz and Degirmenci, 2009). Wang et al. (2005) demonstrated that the effect of rubber in
mortars had an acceptable mechanical properties and frost resistance.
During the previous years, the fuzzy logic method (adaptive neuro fuzzy inference
systems (ANFIS)), as a sub-field of intelligent systems, has been widely used in different
fields to solve several engineering problems with complex mechanisms like in construction
projects. Research modelling studies of Topçu and Sandemir (2008) predicted the
mechanical behaviour of one type of material such as mortar-rubber particles with the
Fuzzy logic method. Other ANFIS research of Lin and Huang (2013) focused on different
types of membership functions (triangular function, trapezoidal function, bell function, and
Gaussian function) for their models. The results from the four developed prediction models
were compared with the verification data to confirm the feasibility of this approach for one
type of metal materials. Furthermore, a similar modelling research elaborated by Turki et al.
(2012) investigated the effect of filler on the mechanical behaviour modelling of
mortar-rubber by using the ANFIS method. Other modelling studies (Turki, Zarrad,
Mollines, Rouis and Queneudec, 2009) on the mechanical behaviour modelling of mortar-
rubber aggregates composite took into account the influence of the rubber volume fraction
on mortar phase. The constitutive equations of the model were used to analyse inelastic
properties of structures made of mortar-rubber aggregates in a multi-directional framework.
However, some models seem to be more complicated to predict the mechanical behaviour of
composites containing rubber and other additives. Otherwise, the mispredictions of
compressive strength as a main mechanical characteristic of cementitious materials
contribute to the excessive deflections and cracking. Therefore, an accurate prediction
method is needed using the MATLAB fuzzy toolbox. Using a given input/output data set,
the toolbox function ANFIS constructs a fuzzy inference system (FIS) whose
membership function parameters are adjusted using either a back propagation algorithm
alone or in combination with a least squares type of method. This adjustment allows
fuzzy systems to learn a suitable model from the data (Lin and Huang, 2013). In addition,
all of the previous studies lack the correlation between different materials to elaborate the
best ANFIS model.
 MMMS First, the Fuzzy logic method proposed herein led to a useful model with less complexity
13,2 (the number of rules) regarding its advantages of simplicity, transparency and linguistic
explanation in comparison with other models used in civil engineering. It could reveal the
relationship between input parameters and output results and its ability to generate new
data. ANFIS is based on training and testing phases to obtain comparable values from the
experimental results for two types of cementitious materials: mortar-rubber with filler and
286 RCC containing rubber aggregates. Second, the purpose of this paper was to assess the
performance of the constructed fuzzy model by ANFIS method for mortar and RCC
containing rubber aggregates and filler. The comparison between the elaborated models
confirms the reliability of ANFIS method through the error and the accuracy calculations for
the best cementitious materials mixtures.

2. Materials and methods

Rubber aggregates were obtained by shredding worn tyres. Rubber particles were
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introduced in mortar and RCC mixtures by partial volume substitution of sand and crushed
sand. The RCC and mortar-rubber-free materials were taken as reference materials. Several
specimen of mixtures were prepared with percentages ranging from 0 to 50 per cent and
5 per cent of rubber and filler, respectively. The mortar and RCC mixture parameters have
two different water-cement ratios that are about 0.5 and 0.56, respectively. Different samples
consist of a mixture of cement, water, sand, crushed sand, aggregates, rubber and filler
(Table I). The semi-empirical method of Talbot Fuller-Thompson identified the RCC
materials mass composition with an optimal water cement ratio that is determined by a
modified Proctor test. The dry rubber apparent density is about 1,200 kg/m3 for the sand,
2,650 kg/m3 for the crushed sand and 2,550 kg/m3 for the aggregates. The sand, the crushed
sand and rubber have 0-2, 0-5 and 1-4/2-8 mm size grading, respectively. The hydraulic
binder was a Portland cement CPA CEM I 42.5 with a specific density of 3,100 kg/m3.
The tests were carried out on prismatic samples (4 × 4 × 16 cm3) for mortar and cubic
specimens (10 × 10 × 10 cm3) for RCC specimens. All samples have been cured for 28 days at
a constant temperature (20°C) and with 100 per cent relative humidity prior to testing.
The compressive strength (R) was performed on several prismatic and cubic test samples.
Each value of compressive strength was the average of three tests.
The modelling was developed using ANFIS. It is a formulation method from a given
input and output using fuzzy logic with MATLAB user’s guide. The hybrid method is the
combination of the back-propagation algorithm and the least-squares method. This
involves identifying the various downstream calculation parameters by the least-square
algorithm. The local settings would be adjusted upstream by calculating the learning of
back-propagation algorithm (Baklouti and Alimi, 2012). The proposed model is based on
the localization of the stress on the phase’s level (rubber and cementitious mixtures).
In the training set, the case study of ANFIS system adopt Gaussian function that has
seven inputs as variables for RCC: cement (C), water (W), sand (S), crushed sand (CS),
gravel (G), rubber (R) and curing period (CP). However, mortar considers five inputs
which are as follows: cement, sand, water, filler (F) and curing period. The number of
inputs depends not only on variability of RCC and mortar mixtures’ components but
also on the curing conditions to predict the best value of compressive strength that is

Table I. Material Cement Water Sand Crushed sand Aggregates

Mass composition of
mortar and RCC RCC 250 140.59 244.27 843.58 967.03
mixtures (Kg/m3) Mortar 450 225 1,350 – –
 considered as a single output. The architecture of ANFIS used in this research is Compressive
shown in Figure 1. After training, tests were performed to obtain comparable values to the strength of
experimental results. cementitious
3. Results and discussion
materials
3.1 Structure of ANFIS
Several systems are not amenable to conventional modelling approaches due to the lack of 287
precise, formal knowledge about the system, strongly nonlinear behaviour, high degree of
uncertainty, or time varying characteristics. Fuzzy modelling has been recognized as a powerful
tool which can facilitate the effective development of models by combining information from
different sources, such as empirical models, heuristics and data (Babuska, 2002). ANFIS system
predicts a complex nonlinear mapping by utilizing fuzzy inference methodologies with the
input-output relationship of models ( Jang, 1993). Because it is a more compact and
computationally efficient representation than a Mamdani system, the Sugeno system lends itself
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to the use of adaptive techniques for constructing fuzzy models. These adaptive techniques can
be used to customize the membership functions so that the fuzzy system best models the data.
It should be noted that the advantage of using such system is that it gives out realistic values,
not a fuzzy value that needs a defuzzification phase (Zadeh, 1999). The FIS has basically four
components: fuzzyfication, fuzzy rule base, fuzzy output engine, defuzzyfication and application
of fuzzy steps (AND, OR and NOT) in the rule’s antecedent (Zadeh, 1965). For the conception of
ANFIS system, the zero-order Sugeno type was selected as an inference system
(Mamdani, 1974). ANFIS structure was completed by the selection of a learning hybrid
algorithm. Then, it constructs an FIS whose membership functions are adjusted using either the
back-propagation algorithm alone or by using the hybrid method (Topçu and Sandemir, 2008).
For a Sugeno fuzzy model, a typical rule set with 162 fuzzy rules of mortar and 1,458 fuzzy rules
of RCC can be expressed as follows:
Rule n : IfðC is Ai Þ and ðW is Bi Þ and ðS is C i Þ and ðCS is Di Þ
and ðA is E i Þ and ðF is F i Þ and ðR is Gi Þ and ðCP is H i Þ then
f i ¼ pi C þqi W þr i S þsi CSþt i Aþui F þvi R þwi CPþZ i (1)
where i represents a membership function and fi the output variable.

Inputs Fuzzy Inference System Output

Cement (C)

Water (W)

Sand (S)/Filler (F)

Sugeno type:
Fuzzyfication – Compressive
Crushed Sand (CS)
Defuzzyfication strength (R)
Rubber (R) processes

Aggregate (A) Figure 1.

Structure of adaptive
Curing Period (CP)
neuro fuzzy inference
system (ANFIS)
 MMMS ANFIS does not provide a specific equation in comparison with other types of models
13,2 (Neil and Senouci, 1994; Shafieyzadeh, 2013; Turki et al., 2012). The model was developed by
Turki, Zarrad, Mollines, Rouis and Queneudec (2009) and Turki, Ben Naceur, Makni, Rouis
and Sai (2009) in the thermodynamic frame of non-associated plasticity with the Continuum
Damage Mechanics theory. This framework allowed considering observations and
experimental results and avoiding behaviour incompatibilities. Shafieyzadeh (2013)
288 proposed a mathematical model that focusses on the relationship between compressive
strength and time of curing in water with a logarithmic equation by Popovics (1998).
Neil and Senouci (1994) developed a model in order to predict the strength of rubberized
concrete. Two neural network models were developed to predict the reduction in the
compressive and tensile strength as a result of replacing the mineral aggregate with a
rubber aggregate. A maximum difference of 9.2 per cent between test results and model
prediction was detected during the testing of the neural network.
The fuzzy-logic-based algorithm model is obtained with the help of coding in MATLAB
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software. Since grid partitioning was selected, fuzzy rules are established for the inference
system. Variables and laws are associated to use the technique of decomposition max-min
with logical AND operator. ANFIS embedded MATLAB is used primarily for fuzzy systems
of Sugeno type to a single output by introducing parameters as examples, representing the
input variables and desired outputs associated with these variables . The parameters
associated with the membership functions will be changed throughout the learning process,
because the calculation of these parameters or adjustment is facilitated by the gradient
vector. It provides a measure giving information about how Fuzzy system models the input/
output for a given database of examples and reduces measurement errors (Inan et al., 2007).
The training phase can determine the characteristic of parameters that are the centres of
membership functions. Furthermore, the membership function plots of RCC input variables
in the R training are shown in Figure 2.

3.2 Prediction performance of compressive strength by the ANFIS model

Experimental compressive strength (R). Rubber particles significantly affect the mechanical
properties of mortar and RCC specimens especially the compressive strength. It decreases
from 48, 63 and 81 per cent to 10, 20 and 30 per cent of mortar-rubber substitution,
respectively (Table II). As a result, some fine particles were added, as fillers, to remedy the
R decrease. The addition of filler slightly improves the compressive strength of
mortar-rubber samples. The R revealed 17, 41 and 65 per cent decreases for 10, 20 and
30 per cent of rubber substitution, respectively. However, RCC compressive strength
seems constant until 20 per cent of rubber substitution and the decrease is observed to be
quite weak upto 30 per cent (Table II).
Predicted compressive strength. The predicted values obtained using ANFIS for the
compressive strength have been plotted against their respective experimentally obtained values
as shown in Table III. The R prediction of RCC and mortar filler with rubber were illustrated by
the ANFIS model (Figure 1). The case study system has considered seven inputs for RCC that are
illustrated in Table I as a mass composition of different mixtures (cement, sand, crushed sand,
gravel, rubber and water) with the curing period in days. Moreover, mortar mixtures depend only
on five inputs which consist of the dosage components (cement, sand, water and filler) with the
curing period in days, too. However, it has a single output “R” which is the compressive strength
measured experimentally (Table II). To achieve an optimal fuzzy model, different clustering radii
were introduced to subtract clustering algorithm and the performance of the consequent fuzzy
model was investigated. Subtractive clustering was generated by a design parameter,
called clustering radii (Zargar et al., 2014). Each cluster may contain a variety of mass
composition of cementitious materials.
 (a) Membership function plots plot points: 181 (b) Membership function plots plot points: 181 Compressive
in2mf1
1
in2mf2 in2mf3 in1mf1
1
in1mf2 strength of
cementitious
0.5 0.5
materials

0 0 289
150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240 250 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28
Input variable “cement” Input variable “days”

(c) Membership function plots plot points: 181 (d) Membership function plots plot points: 181

in4mf1 in4mf2 in4mf3 in5mf1 in5mf2 in5mf3

1 1
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0.5 0.5

0 0
550 600 650 700 750 800 850 970 975 980 985 990 995 1,000 1,005 1,010
Input variable “crushed-sand” Input variable “qravel”

(e) Membership function plots plot points: 181 (f) Membership function plots plot points: 181

in6mf1 in6mf2 in6mf3 in3mf1 in3mf2 in3mf3

1 1

0.5 0.5

0 0
0 50 100 150 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255
Input variable “rubber” Input variable “sand”

(g) Membership function plots plot points: 181

in7mf1 in7mf2 in7mf3

1

0.5 Figure 2.
Membership functions
of RCC input variables
0 for compressive
120 125 130 135 140 145 150 155 strength (output)
Input variable “water”

Rubber substitution 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Table II.

Evolution of Rc (MPa)
RCC 25.50 25.50 25 17 12.25 7.25 for mortar and RCC
Mortar 44.70 21.87 16.56 8.43 7.25 6.87 containing rubber
Mortar with fillers 44.70 37.49 26.50 15.51 11.34 7.12 and fillers

In this research, 88 experimental testing were performed on prismatic and cubic specimens of
mortar and RCC. In fact, the number of experimental tests was variable in similar research
studies using ANFIS method for modelling. For instance, Lin and Huang (2013) used
data from 66 experimental tests, 48 were dedicated for training set and 18 for testing set.
 MMMS Topçu and Sandemir (2008) investigated 52 different mixes with 180 specimens which were
13,2 gathered from the literature. The data used in the artificial neural networks and fuzzy logic
models were arranged in a format of nine input parameters. In our case study, 30 of the mixes
were employed for training to assess the fuzzy base rules, whereas 22 were exploited for
testing to validate the mortar model results. Nevertheless, 36 experimental results were
investigated, 27 for training to assess the fuzzy base rules and 9 for testing to validate the RCC
290 model results. The membership function plots of input variables were used in the R training.
Training phase can determine the characteristic parameters of membership functions,
standard deviations. The training principle is to minimize the sum of squared errors.
Moreover, fuzzy rules are established for the inference system to determine output based on
input. The variability effect of input parameters using the fuzzy logic method ensures the
reliability of output with a minimum root mean square error (RMSE). The compressive
strength output obtained from training, testing of ANFIS model and experiments is illustrated
in term of minimum, maximum and average (Table III). The training and testing values are
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compared to the experimental results to predict the compressive strength of mortar-RCC-

rubber mixtures with the suitable percentage of substitution.
Fuzzy model performance. The assessment of ANFIS model performance took into
consideration the experimental results as a database and conducted to separate each of
them into training and testing sets by selecting data randomly (Baldwin and Dong, 2005).
In all, 72 per cent of whole data were used in training set (32 training data for mortar and
27 data for RCC from 88 experimental data, the rest of data is focused in testing sets).
Moreover, the training continued for over 1,000 iterations (Epoch) until error stabilization.
Figures 2 and 3 show a cross-plot of the predicted RCC and mortar-filler with rubber vs the
measured values.
The model precision was evaluated by the RMSE which is defined by the sum of the
difference in square of the output calculated by ANFIS and the target output:
sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
Pn 2
i¼1 ðt i oi Þ
RM SE ¼ (2)
n

In addition, the precision assessment was measured by the percentage of the mean absolute
error (MAPE), which is illustrated by the relationship below:

n  
1X 
t i oi   100
M APE ¼ (3)
n i¼1 t i 


where n is the number of samples; i ∈ [1, n]; ti the desired output value determined
experimentally; and oi the output value determined by the model.

Experimental data used for training Training and testing data obtained by
and testing ANFS model
Table III. Training Testing Average Training Testing Average
Statistics of Rc Min. Max. Min. Max. Training Testing Min. Max. Min. Max. Training Testing
experimental, training
and testing data for RCC 4.25 25.5 2.5 12.25 12.9510 6.3330 4.25 25.5 3.76 12.56 12.9518 7.018
RCC and mortar with Mortar
fillers (ANFIS method) with fillers 7.33 32.57 7.12 49.15 10.565 16.0148 7.109 32.560 4.5721 34.5517 16.3694 16.8552
 Compressive
30 strength of
Predicted compressive strength (MPa)

cementitious
25
materials

291
20

Line y=x
15 Figure 3.
Cross-plot showing
Training
correlation between
results
10 predicted and
experimental
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Testing
results compressive strength
results of mortar
5 (ANFIS training and
5 10 15 20 25 30
testing sets)
Experimental compressive strength R (MPa)

Then, using the same training and testing sets to get the accuracy each time, the accuracy
for training and testing sets was calculated for modelling prediction problems according to
this formula (Baldwin and Dong, 2005):
 
Accuracy ¼ T predicted – T experimental =T average (4)

where Tpredicted is the predicted target value; Texperimental the experimental target value in
the database; and Taverage the range between the different values obtained from the
experimental or predicted results (Table III).
The statistical parameter values of RMSE and MAPE errors of different specimens,
calculated from RCC- and mortar-filler models, are illustrated in Table IV. The probability
error distribution of the Fuzzy logic predictions of RMSE are equal to 4.30 × 10−3, 2.193 and
4.586, 5.4157 MPa for RCC and mortar filler during training and testing sets, respectively.
Whereas, MAPE values remain 0.01, 31.24 and 19.92, 27.18 per cent for RCC and mortar
filler during training and testing sets, too. As a comparative study, the RMSE value of
RCC materials during the training set is correlated with the results performed on metal
materials (Lin and Huang, 2013) which are adopted from the same membership function
(Gaussian function). The performance of ANFIS model for the metal material is less well the
RCC case study then regarding the RMSE value is about 0.0311 and 4.30 × 10−3,
respectively. Despite the research of Lin and Huang (2013) used more experimental data in
the training set were used (48 experimental data). The RCC reveals a better accuracy of
RMSE value using only 27 compressive strength data.
Moreover, a correlative research of Chaojie Liu et al. (2017) was used as a neural
network system to predict the accuracy of different methods based on PSO algorithm.

Statistical parameters of fuzzy RMSE for training RMSE for testing MAPE for MAPE for
logic model (MPa) (MPa) training (%) testing (%) Table IV.
Statistical parameters
−3
RCC 4.30 × 10 2.193 0.01 31.24 of training and
Mortar with fillers 4.586 5.4157 19.92 27.18 testing sets
 MMMS In this work, the GD-BP neural network could not obtain the expected
13,2 error target (6.98 × 10−3) even after the maximum number of iterations has been
reached (3,000). Comparing this result with the current work, the fuzzy model of RCC
revealed a better RMSE in training set (4.30 × 10−3) even after a less number of iterations
(only 1,000).
Table IV shows that RMSE and MAPE of RCC values (except for testing) are more
292 certain than those of the mortar mixtures. Similarly, the accuracy was calculated to
be considered as a further indicator of the fuzzy model accomplishment for the prediction of
compressive strength. Thus, comparing the ANFIS models of the two different cementitious
materials (mortar and RCC) reveal a more reasonable accuracy of RCC than that of mortar
mixtures (Table V ). The amounts of RCC accuracy are about 0.99922, 0.99922 and 0.96515,
0.96855 for the training set and the testing set, respectively. However, the amount of mortar
accuracy calculated from training and testing data are equal to 0.91198, 0.94318 and 0.92428,
0.92805, respectively.
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In general, RMSE, MAPE and the accuracy values were seen closer in RCC mixtures than
in mortar. They seem to be dependent on the number of input variables. RCC consists of
seven inputs whereas mortar considers only five inputs as data. The variability of input
parameters number in the ANFIS model using the fuzzy logic method, as an effective
indicator, ensures the reliability of outputs (Behnia et al., 2013). Otherwise, the results
are more accurate in the prediction of non-linear behaviours (Inan et al., 2007). Therefore,
the favoured predicting results demonstrate a better performance with the lowest mean
square error and a good accuracy. Optimizing the different components of cementitious
mixtures with the presence of rubber or other fine additives would be the best criteria to get
the desired mechanical properties. In addition, the variation of the experimental data, in
terms of maximum and minimum values used in the training and testing sets, is more
certain in RCC than in mortar mixtures. The maximum and minimum values of mortar are
about 32.577, 7.331 MPa for the training and 49.147, 7.5 MPa for the testing, respectively.
However, the experimental values in RCC training range from a maximum of about
25.5 MPa to a minimum of 4.25 MPa. During the testing set, the RCC variability of maximum
and minimum data are 12.25 and 2.5 MPa, too. Therefore, the proposed models are valid in
the case of minimum error and maximum accuracy.
The fuzzy model has an excellent interpolation capability when the results performed by
MATLAB software program estimated the compressive strength of RCC specimens with
20 per cent of rubber. Figure 4 shows the predicted R value of 22.918 MPa. This predicted
result should be compared with the experimental data with 20 per cent of rubber aggregates
substitution which is illustrated in Table II. It revealed that RCC and mortar-filler
compressive strengths results (25 and 26.50 MPa, respectively) are quite close to those of the
fuzzy model result. However, the mortar-rubber mixtures without filler revealed dispersed
experimental values with the Fuzzy result (Rc is about 16.56 MPa). Consequently, the
compressive strength values of mortar-filler or RCC containing different percentages of
rubber aggregates could be predicted by the ANFIS method in a short period of time, i.e.

Experimental data used for training Training and testing data obtained by
Table V. and testing ANFIS model
Accuracy of Training Testing Average Training Testing Average
experimental, training Rc Min. Max. Min. Max. Training Testing Min. Max. Min. max. Training Testing
and testing data for
RCC and mortar with RCC 0.997 0.999 0.911 0.981 0.99922 0.96515 0.997 0.999 0.941 0.982 0.99922 0.96855
fillers (ANFIS method) Mortar with filler 0.874 0.971 0.964 0.975 0.91198 0.92428 0.870 0.971 0.734 0.964 0.94318 0.92805
 Compressive
Predicted compressive strength (MPa)

23 strength of
cementitious
materials
18

Training 293
13 results
Figure 4.
Testing Cross-plot showing
results correlation between
8 predicted and
Line x=y experimental
compressive strength
3 results of RCC
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2 7 12 17 22 (ANFIS training and

testing sets)
Experimental compressive strength R (MPa)

it does not need to experiment specimens after a 28-day curing period. Otherwise, without
performing any experiments, the fuzzy model predicts the compressive strength results with
a reasonable accuracy and a tolerable error. Otherwise, ANFIS has performed quite well in
predicting the compressive strength and the accuracy of ANFIS is better than that of the
other models (Figure 5).

Figure 5.
Example of model
application elaborated
by ANFIS
 MMMS 4. Conclusion
13,2 Based on the results obtained in the present research, the following main summary remarks
can be illustrated:
(1) The characterization of cementitious materials containing rubber aggregates and
filler at a hardened state exhibits the effect of rubber on the mechanical properties of
RCC and mortar mixtures with filler. The compressive strength prediction was
294 elaborated by the fuzzy logic method. The fuzzy approach (ANFIS) seems to be quite
flexible to build a comprehensible model performance assessment of cementitious
mixtures design that ensures the desired compressive strength and well adapted to
the real values.
(2) ANFIS method optimizes the different mass composition of cementitious mixtures
with the presence of rubber and other fine additives like the filler. The variation of
RMSE, MAPE errors and the accuracy of different RCC specimens, calculated from
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the model, are closer than those of the mortar mixtures. Therefore, the favoured
predicting results demonstrate a better performance with the lowest RMSE and a
good accuracy. Such a model depends on the number of the input variables (RCC uses
seven inputs but mortar considers only five inputs). As a result, the variability of the
input data ensures a reliability of outputs like the compressive strength. In addition,
the variation of experimental data, in terms of maximum and minimum values used in
the training and testing sets, are more accurate in RCC than in mortar mixtures.
The model with the lowest mean square error and the good prediction accuracy is
chosen as an optimal model. It was revealed that using this type of fuzzy approach
could evaluate mixture design of cementitious materials containing rubber and filler.
ANFIS illustrates a realistic representation and solution for mass composition
optimized so as to get the desired mechanical behaviour mainly the compressive
strength. Meanwhile, there are some areas that have relatively large errors.
(3) Thus, the constructed fuzzy model needs further improvements such as the
identification of other types of additives as inputs and further mechanical properties
that characterize the outputs, as well as the quantification of accuracy for training
and testing sets using other calculation methods.

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 MMMS About the authors
13,2 Dr Mohamed Turki is an Assistant Professor at Gabés University. His research interests are about the
valorization of solid wastes in construction and building materials, environmental performance
and green constructions. Dr Mohamed Turki is the corresponding author and can be contacted at:
mohamed.turki@gmail.com
Ines Zarrad is a PhD in Chimie Industrielle II Laboratory at Sfax University in Tunisia. His research
interests are in cementitious composites, biomaterials and modelling.
296 Michéle Quéneudec is a Professor at Picardie University of France and a member at Eproad
laboratory. His research interests are in processing engineering mainly cementitious materials, bio-
materials and polymers.
Jamel Bouaziz is a Professor at National School of Engineers of Sfax and a Member of
Chimie Industrielle II Laboratory at Sfax University in Tunisia. His research interests are in
cementitious composites, biomaterials and ceramics.
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