Data-Driven Design of Epoxy-Granite Machine Foundations: Bayesian Optimization for Enhanced Compressive Strength and...

Epoxy-granite (EG) composites, comprising granite quarry waste and low-cost epoxy, present a sustainable alternative to cast iron for machine tool foundations. This study develops a data-driven simulation framework to enhance the mechanical properties of epoxy-granite systems by integrating published experimental data with Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) surrogate modeling and Bayesian optimization (BO). The objective is to maximize compressive strength and vibration damping-both critical factors for machining accuracy and dynamic stability. Experimental results from composites with 12-25 wt% epoxy and varied aggregate gradations demonstrate compressive strengths up to 76.8 MPa and flexural strengths reaching 35.4 MPa. The peak damping ratio of 0.0202 was observed at intermediate epoxy content. Mixtures enriched with fine particles also exhibited enhanced fracture toughness and low water absorption, outperforming cementitious concretes, polymer concretes, and natural granite. To address the limitations of experimental coverage, a GPR-based simulation model was employed to explore the four-dimensional design space defined by epoxy content and aggregate fractions. Integrated with BO under realistic manufacturing constraints, the framework identifies optimal formulations comprising 22-26 wt% epoxy and 55-70% fine aggregates. These compositions yield predicted compressive strengths of 78-85 MPa and damping ratios approaching 0.022, indicating significant improvement in overall mechanical properties. Bayesian Weibull analysis further quantifies reliability, revealing shape parameters α ≈ 2.4-2.9, which indicate consistent performance with moderate variability. This work presents the first reported application of an integrated GPR-BO-Bayesian Weibull simulation framework to epoxy-granite composites, enabling simultaneous optimization of conflicting objectives and probabilistic reliability assessment of key mechanical properties. The approach reduces experimental effort by over 70% and supports the circular economy through valorization of granite waste in high-value manufacturing. Nonetheless, predictive uncertainty remains high in under-sampled regions (e.g., damping with n = 2). Future experimental validation-comprising at least 10-15 data points across varied epoxy ratios and gradations-is essential to corroborate the predicted optimum.