The performance prediction of impact hammers from Schmidt hammer rebound values in Istanbul metro tunnel drivages

The construction of the first metro line in Istanbul was realized between Galata and Beyoglu by a French Engineer Henry Gavand in January 1875. Six different metro projects were submitted since then to the Turkish authorities. The construction of 7-km metro tunnels phase 1 started in 1992 and the metro line of the phase 1 is opened to the service in 2000. The tunnels of the phase 2 between Taksim and Yenikapi are under construction. This paper summarizes the construction methods of the Istanbul metro tunnels, the performance of the impact hammers, the factors effecting daily advance rates and the previous studies on Schmidt hammer test and performance prediction of impact hammers. At the end, a prediction model concerning instantaneous breaking rates of hydraulic impact hammers from Schmidt hammer rebound values is explained in detail.     

Predicting performance of impact hammers from rock quality designation and compressive strength properties in various rock masses

Predicting the performance of the impact hammers is one of the major subjects in determining the economics of the underground excavation projects in which they are utilized. Therefore, researchers have been attracted to developing performance prediction models for these machines. Physical and mechanical properties of rocks have been used to estimate the performance of impact hammers over the last few decades. In this study, the instantaneous breaking rate (IBR, m³/h) of an impact hammer used in construction of Levent-Hisarüstü metro tunnel (Istanbul) is recorded in detail. Sixty rock samples are obtained from tunnel route during the excavation of which the machine is employed. Physical and mechanical property tests are performed on the obtained samples. A data set including uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), rock quality designation index (RQD), Brazilian tensile strength (BTS), density (ρ), Schmidt hammer hardness (SHH), Shore scleroscope hardness (SSH), Cerchar abrasivity index (CAI), and IBR is formed. Regression analysis techniques are applied to the created data set in order to develop a performance prediction model. The investigation results in a model that can predict IBR based on UCS, RQD, and the output power of the impact hammer. The proposed model passes both F-test and t-test at 0.95 confidence level. The soundness of the model is successfully tested against two formerly developed models. Covering a wide range of application and requiring only two of the most common and versatile rock properties as input parameters are the other advantages of the suggested model.     

Prediction of the performance of impact hammer by adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system modelling

Impact type excavators are widely used for excavations, performed in weak-laminated-foliated-anisotropic rocks. Therefore the prediction of the performance of impact hammer is very important in many mining and civil engineering projects.This paper describes the construction of adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system model for predicting the performance of impact hammer type excavator by considering rock and excavating machine properties such as block punch strength index, geological strength index system and impact hammer power. Extensive field and laboratory studies were conducted in the tunnel construction route of the second stage of Izmir Metro Project, which excavated in laminated-foliated flysch rocks. The results of the constructed adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system and traditional multiple regression models were compared. Although the prediction performance of traditional multiple regression model is high, it is seen that adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference model exhibits better prediction performance according to statistical performance indicators. By means of the developed model, the performance of impact type excavators can be predicted in terms of net excavation based on the selected rock and machine properties.     

Prediction of roadheader performance by artificial neural network

Performance prediction of the roadheaders is one of the main subjects in determining the economics of the underground excavation projects. During the last decades, researchers have focused on developing performance prediction models for roadheaders. In the first stage of this study, the performance of a roadheader used in Kucuksu sewage tunnel (Istanbul) was recorded in detail and the instantaneous cutting rate (ICR) of the machine was determined. The uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and rock quality designation (RQD) are used as input parameters in previously developed empirical models in order to point out the efficiency of these models, and the relationships between measured and predicted ICR for different encountered formations. In the second stage of the study, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technique is used for predicting of the ICR of the roadheader. A data set including UCS, RQD, and measured ICR are established. It is traced that a neural network with two inputs (RQD and UCS) and one hidden layer can be sufficient for the estimation of ICR. In addition, it is determined that increase in number of neurons in hidden layer has positive optimizing on the performance of the ANN and a hidden layer larger than 10 neurons does not have a significant effect on optimizing the performance of the neural network. Furthermore, probability of memorizing is being recognized in this situation. Based on this study, it is concluded that the prediction capacity of ANN is better than the empirical models developed previously.     

A new application area of ANN and ANFIS: determination of earthquake load reduction factor of prefabricated industrial buildings

The earthquake load reduction factor, R, is one of the most important parameters in the design stage of a building. Significant damages and failures were experienced on prefabricated reinforced concrete structures during the last earthquakes in Turkey and the experts agreed that they resulted mainly from the incorrectly selected earthquake load reduction factor, R. In this study, an attempt was made to estimate the R coefficient for prefabricated industrial structures having a single storey, one and two bays, which are commonly constructed for manufacturing and warehouse operation with variable dimensions. According to the selected variable dimensions, 280 sample (140 samples for one bay (S-1) and 140 samples for two bays (S-2)) frames’ load–displacement relations were computed using pushover analysis and the earthquake load reduction factor, R, was calculated for each frame. Then, formulated three-layered artificial neural network methods (ANNs) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) were trained by using 214 of the 280 sample frames. Then, the methods were tested with the other 66 sample frames. Accuracy rates were found to be about 94% and 96% for ANN and ANFIS, respectively. The use of ANN and ANFIS provided an alternative way for estimating the R and it also showed that ANFIS estimated R more successfully than ANN.     

Daily suspended sediment concentration simulation using ANN and neuro-fuzzy models

In the present study, artificial neural networks (ANNs), neuro-fuzzy (NF), multi linear regression (MLR) and conventional sediment rating curve (SRC) models are considered for time series modeling of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in rivers. As for the artificial intelligence systems, feed forward back propagation (FFBP) method and Sugeno inference system are used for ANNs and NF models, respectively. The models are trained using daily river discharge and SSC data belonging to Little Black River and Salt River gauging stations in the USA.Obtained results demonstrate that ANN and NF models are in good agreement with the observed SSC values; while they depict better results than MLR and SRC methods. For example, in Little Black River station, the determination coefficient is 0.697 for NF model, while it is 0.457, 0.257 and 0.225 for ANN, MLR and SRC models, respectively. The values of cumulative suspended sediment load estimated by ANN and NF models are closer to the observed data than the other models. In general, the results illustrate that NF model presents better performance in SSC prediction in compression to other models.     

Wavelet and ANN combination model for prediction of daily suspended sediment load in rivers

In this research, a new wavelet artificial neural network (WANN) model was proposed for daily suspended sediment load (SSL) prediction in rivers. In the developed model, wavelet analysis was linked to an artificial neural network (ANN). For this purpose, daily observed time series of river discharge (Q) and SSL in Yadkin River at Yadkin College, NC station in the USA were decomposed to some sub-time series at different levels by wavelet analysis. Then, these sub-time series were imposed to the ANN technique for SSL time series modeling. To evaluate the model accuracy, the proposed model was compared with ANN, multi linear regression (MLR), and conventional sediment rating curve (SRC) models. The comparison of prediction accuracy of the models illustrated that the WANN was the most accurate model in SSL prediction. Results presented that the WANN model could satisfactorily simulate hysteresis phenomenon, acceptably estimate cumulative SSL, and reasonably predict high SSL values.     

Selection of window sizes for optimizing occupational comfort and hygiene based on computational fluid dynamics and neural networks

The present paper presents a novel computational method to optimize window sizes for thermal comfort and indoor air quality in naturally ventilated buildings. The methodology is demonstrated by means of a prototype case, which corresponds to a single-sided naturally ventilated apartment. Initially, the airflow in and around the building is simulated using a Computational Fluid Dynamics model. Local prevailing weather conditions are imposed in the CFD model as inlet boundary conditions. The produced airflow patterns are utilized to predict thermal comfort indices, i.e. the PMV and its modifications for non-air-conditioned buildings, as well as indoor air quality indices, such as ventilation effectiveness based on carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds removal. Mean values of these indices (output/objective variables) within the occupied zone are calculated for different window sizes (input/design variables), to generate a database of input–output data pairs. The database is then used to train and validate Radial Basis Function Artificial Neural Network input–output “meta-models”. The produced meta-models are used to formulate an optimization problem, which takes into account special constraints recommended by design guidelines. It is concluded that the proposed methodology determines appropriate windows architectural designs for pleasant and healthy indoor environments.