Physics-guided neural network for predicting asphalt mixture rutting with balanced accuracy, stability and rationality

The prediction of rutting performance of asphalt materials poses a significant challenge due to the intricate relationships between the rutting performance and its influencing factors. Machine learning models have gained popularity to address this challenge by offering sophisticated model structures and algorithms. However, existing models often prioritize model accuracy over stability and rationality. The increasingly complicated model structure may lead to an imbalance between the data and the model, resulting in issues such as overfitting and reduced model applicability and interpretability. In this context, this study proposes a novel modeling framework to predict the rutting performance of asphalt mixture by utilizing autoencoder for feature selection and feedforward neural network for rut depth prediction. Notably, physics information of the selected variables is implemented into the neural network to achieve the appropriate balance of model accuracy, stability, and rationality. The results demonstrate that while maintaining high model accuracy, the implementation of physics information significantly enhances the model's stability and rationality. This framework holds great potential for accurate and reliable predictions of pavement distress by leveraging the complementary strengths of data-driven machine learning and physics-based domain knowledge.