Impact of iron powder and blast furnace slag on the mechanical properties of polymer concrete: An experimental and hyperparameter-tuned ANN-based study

Polymer-based materials have become increasingly used in concrete production and various engineering applications due to their versatile properties. In particular, polymer concrete (PC) has become a preferred reinforcement material in the construction industry. Various studies have been carried out to evaluate the performance of PC and to improve its mechanical properties by adding different admixtures. This study investigates the effects of fine materials such as iron powder (IP) and blast furnace slag (BFS) on the mechanical performance of PC. Within the scope of the study, samples with 5% and 10% IP, 5% and 10% BFS, 2.5% IP + 2.5% BFS and 5% IP + 5% BFS were prepared. These specimens were cured in the same laboratory environment and subjected to mechanical tests at the end of the 7th day. The results of the mechanical tests were compared to reveal the effect of fine materials on the performance of the PC. The potential of an artificial neural network (ANN) model is investigated to replicate real-world outcomes. The findings provide valuable insights into the potential of iron powder and blast furnace slag as admixtures to improve the mechanical properties of PC.