Non-crossing Quantile Regression Neural Network as a Calibration Tool for Ensemble Weather Forecasts

Despite the maturity of ensemble numerical weather prediction(NWP),the resulting forecasts are still,more often than not,under-dispersed.As such,forecast calibration tools have become popular.Among those tools,quantile regression(QR)is highly competitive in terms of both flexibility and predictive performance.Nevertheless,a long-standing problem of QR is quantile crossing,which greatly limits the interpretability of QR-calibrated forecasts.On this point,this study proposes a non-crossing quantile regression neural network(NCQRNN),for calibrating ensemble NWP forecasts into a set of reliable quantile forecasts without crossing.The overarching design principle of NCQRNN is to add on top of the conventional QRNN structure another hidden layer,which imposes a non-decreasing mapping between the combined output from nodes of the last hidden layer to the nodes of the output layer,through a triangular weight matrix with positive entries.The empirical part of the work considers a solar irradiance case study,in which four years of ensemble irradiance forecasts at seven locations,issued by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts,are calibrated via NCQRNN,as well as via an eclectic mix of benchmarking models,ranging from the naïve climatology to the state-of-the-art deep-learning and other non-crossing models.Formal and stringent forecast verification suggests that the forecasts post-processed via NCQRNN attain the maximum sharpness subject to calibration,amongst all competitors.Furthermore,the proposed conception to resolve quantile crossing is remarkably simple yet general,and thus has broad applicability as it can be integrated with many shallow-and deep-learning-based neural networks.

Downscaling Seasonal Precipitation Forecasts over East Africa with Deep Convolutional Neural Networks

This study assesses the suitability of convolutional neural networks(CNNs) for downscaling precipitation over East Africa in the context of seasonal forecasting. To achieve this, we design a set of experiments that compare different CNN configurations and deployed the best-performing architecture to downscale one-month lead seasonal forecasts of June–July–August–September(JJAS) precipitation from the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology Climate Forecast System version 1.0(NUIST-CFS1.0) for 1982–2020. We also perform hyper-parameter optimization and introduce predictors over a larger area to include information about the main large-scale circulations that drive precipitation over the East Africa region, which improves the downscaling results. Finally, we validate the raw model and downscaled forecasts in terms of both deterministic and probabilistic verification metrics, as well as their ability to reproduce the observed precipitation extreme and spell indicator indices. The results show that the CNN-based downscaling consistently improves the raw model forecasts, with lower bias and more accurate representations of the observed mean and extreme precipitation spatial patterns. Besides, CNN-based downscaling yields a much more accurate forecast of extreme and spell indicators and reduces the significant relative biases exhibited by the raw model predictions. Moreover, our results show that CNN-based downscaling yields better skill scores than the raw model forecasts over most portions of East Africa. The results demonstrate the potential usefulness of CNN in downscaling seasonal precipitation predictions over East Africa,particularly in providing improved forecast products which are essential for end users.

Effects of data smoothing and recurrent neural network(RNN)algorithms for real-time forecasting of tunnel boring machine(TBM)performance

Tunnel boring machines(TBMs)have been widely utilised in tunnel construction due to their high efficiency and reliability.Accurately predicting TBM performance can improve project time management,cost control,and risk management.This study aims to use deep learning to develop real-time models for predicting the penetration rate(PR).The models are built using data from the Changsha metro project,and their performances are evaluated using unseen data from the Zhengzhou Metro project.In one-step forecast,the predicted penetration rate follows the trend of the measured penetration rate in both training and testing.The autoregressive integrated moving average(ARIMA)model is compared with the recurrent neural network(RNN)model.The results show that univariate models,which only consider historical penetration rate itself,perform better than multivariate models that take into account multiple geological and operational parameters(GEO and OP).Next,an RNN variant combining time series of penetration rate with the last-step geological and operational parameters is developed,and it performs better than other models.A sensitivity analysis shows that the penetration rate is the most important parameter,while other parameters have a smaller impact on time series forecasting.It is also found that smoothed data are easier to predict with high accuracy.Nevertheless,over-simplified data can lose real characteristics in time series.In conclusion,the RNN variant can accurately predict the next-step penetration rate,and data smoothing is crucial in time series forecasting.This study provides practical guidance for TBM performance forecasting in practical engineering.

A Short-Range Quantitative Precipitation Forecast Algorithm Using Back-Propagation Neural Network Approach

A back-propagation neural network （BPNN） was used to establish relationships between the shortrange （0-3-h） rainfall and the predictors ranging from extrapolative forecasts of radar reflectivity, satelliteestimated cloud-top temperature, lightning strike rates, and Nested Grid Model （NGM） outputs. Quan- titative precipitation forecasts （QPF） and the probabilities of categorical precipitation were obtained. Results of the BPNN algorithm were compared to the results obtained from the multiple linear regression algorithm for an independent dataset from the 1999 warm season over the continental United States. A sample forecast was made over the southeastern United States. Results showed that the BPNN categorical rainfall forecasts agreed well with Stage Ⅲ observations in terms of the size and shape of the area of rainfall. The BPNN tended to over-forecast the spatial extent of heavier rainfall amounts, but the positioning of the areas with rainfall ≥25.4 mm was still generally accurate. It appeared that the BPNN and linear regression approaches produce forecasts of very similar quality, although in some respects BPNN slightly outperformed the regression.

A hybrid model for short-term rainstorm forecasting based on a back-propagation neural network and synoptic diagnosis

Rainstorms are one of the most important types of natural disaster in China.In order to enhance the ability to forecast rainstorms in the short term,this paper explores how to combine a back-propagation neural network(BPNN)with synoptic diagnosis for predicting rainstorms,and analyzes the hit rates of rainstorms for the above two methods using the county of Tianquan as a case study.Results showed that the traditional synoptic diagnosis method still has an important referential meaning for most rainstorm types through synoptic typing and statistics of physical quantities based on historical cases,and the threat score(TS)of rainstorms was more than 0.75.However,the accuracy for two rainstorm types influenced by low-level easterly inverted troughs was less than 40%.The BPNN method efficiently forecasted these two rainstorm types;the TS and equitable threat score(ETS)of rainstorms were 0.80 and 0.79,respectively.The TS and ETS of the hybrid model that combined the BPNN and synoptic diagnosis methods exceeded the forecast score of multi-numerical simulations over the Sichuan Basin without exception.This kind of hybrid model enhanced the forecasting accuracy of rainstorms.The findings of this study provide certain reference value for the future development of refined forecast models with local features.

Dynamic adaptive spatio-temporal graph network for COVID-19 forecasting

Appropriately characterising the mixed space-time relations of the contagion process caused by hybrid space and time factors remains the primary challenge in COVID-19 forecasting.However,in previous deep learning models for epidemic forecasting,spatial and temporal variations are captured separately.A unified model is developed to cover all spatio-temporal relations.However,this measure is insufficient for modelling the complex spatio-temporal relations of infectious disease transmission.A dynamic adaptive spatio-temporal graph network(DASTGN)is proposed based on attention mechanisms to improve prediction accuracy.In DASTGN,complex spatio-temporal relations are depicted by adaptively fusing the mixed space-time effects and dynamic space-time dependency structure.This dual-scale model considers the time-specific,space-specific,and direct effects of the propagation process at the fine-grained level.Furthermore,the model characterises impacts from various space-time neighbour blocks under time-varying interventions at the coarse-grained level.The performance comparisons on the three COVID-19 datasets reveal that DASTGN achieves state-of-the-art results with a maximum improvement of 17.092%in the root mean-square error and 11.563%in the mean absolute error.Experimental results indicate that the mechanisms of designing DASTGN can effectively detect some spreading characteristics of COVID-19.The spatio-temporal weight matrices learned in each proposed module reveal diffusion patterns in various scenarios.In conclusion,DASTGN has successfully captured the dynamic spatio-temporal variations of COVID-19,and considering multiple dynamic space-time relationships is essential in epidemic forecasting.

A Levenberg–Marquardt Based Neural Network for Short-Term Load Forecasting

Short-term load forecasting (STLF) is part and parcel of theefficient working of power grid stations. Accurate forecasts help to detect thefault and enhance grid reliability for organizing sufficient energy transactions.STLF ranges from an hour ahead prediction to a day ahead prediction. Variouselectric load forecasting methods have been used in literature for electricitygeneration planning to meet future load demand. A perfect balance regardinggeneration and utilization is still lacking to avoid extra generation and misusageof electric load. Therefore, this paper utilizes Levenberg–Marquardt(LM) based Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technique to forecast theshort-term electricity load for smart grids in a much better, more precise,and more accurate manner. For proper load forecasting, we take the mostcritical weather parameters along with historical load data in the form of timeseries grouped into seasons, i.e., winter and summer. Further, the presentedmodel deals with each season’s load data by splitting it into weekdays andweekends. The historical load data of three years have been used to forecastweek-ahead and day-ahead load demand after every thirty minutes makingload forecast for a very short period. The proposed model is optimized usingthe Levenberg-Marquardt backpropagation algorithm to achieve results withcomparable statistics. Mean Absolute Percent Error (MAPE), Root MeanSquared Error (RMSE), R2, and R are used to evaluate the model. Comparedwith other recent machine learning-based mechanisms, our model presentsthe best experimental results with MAPE and R2 scores of 1.3 and 0.99,respectively. The results prove that the proposed LM-based ANN modelperforms much better in accuracy and has the lowest error rates as comparedto existing work.

Neural Network-Based Performance Index Model for Enterprise Goals Simulation and Forecasting

Enterprise Information System management has become an increasingly vital factor for many firms. Several organizations have encountered problems when attempting to evaluate organizational performance. Measurement of performance metrics is a key challenge for a huge number of firms. In order to preserve relevance and adaptability in competitive markets, it has become essential to respond proactively to complex events through informed decision-making that is supported by technology. Therefore, the objective of this study was to apply neural networks to the modeling, simulation, and forecasting of the effects of the performance indicators of Enterprise Information Systems on the achievement of corporate objectives and value creation. A set of quantifiable and sizeable conditionally independent associations were derived using a simplified joint probability distribution technique. Bayesian Neural Networks were utilized to describe the link between random variables (features) and to concisely and easily specify the joint probability distribution. The research demonstrated that Bayesian networks could effectively explore complex logical linkages by employing probability to represent uncertainty and probabilistic rules;and by applying impact models from Bayesian taxonomies to achieve learning and reasoning processes.

DAMAGE DETECTION IN STRUCTURES USING MODIFIED BACK-PROPAGATION NEURAL NETWORKS

A nonparametric structural damage detection methodology based on neuralnetworks method is presented for health monitoring of structure-unknown systems. In this approachappropriate neural networks are trained by use of the modal test data from a 'healthy' structure.The trained networks which are subsequently fed with vibration measurements from the same structurein different stages have the capability of recognizing the location and the content of structuraldamage and thereby can monitor the health of the structure. A modified back-propagation neuralnetwork is proposed to solve the two practical problems encountered by the traditionalback-propagation method, i.e., slow learning progress and convergence to a false local minimum.Various training algorithms, types of the input layer and numbers of the nodes in the input layerare considered. Numerical example results from a 5-degree-of-freedom spring-mass structure andanalyses on the experimental data of an actual 5-storey-steel-frame demonstrate thatneural-networks-based method is a robust procedure and a practical tool for the detection ofstructural damage, and that the modified back-propagation algorithm could improve the computationalefficiency as well as the accuracy of detection.

Optimization of processing parameters for microwave drying of selenium-rich slag using incremental improved back-propagation neural network and response surface methodology

In the non-linear microwave drying process, the incremental improved back-propagation （BP） neural network and response surface methodology （RSM） were used to build a predictive model of the combined effects of independent variables （the microwave power, the acting time and the rotational frequency） for microwave drying of selenium-rich slag. The optimum operating conditions obtained from the quadratic form of the RSM are： the microwave power of 14.97 kW, the acting time of 89.58 min, the rotational frequency of 10.94 Hz, and the temperature of 136.407 ℃. The relative dehydration rate of 97.1895% is obtained. Under the optimum operating conditions, the incremental improved BP neural network prediction model can predict the drying process results and different effects on the results of the independent variables. The verification experiments demonstrate the prediction accuracy of the network, and the mean squared error is 0.16. The optimized results indicate that RSM can optimize the experimental conditions within much more broad range by considering the combination of factors and the neural network model can predict the results effectively and provide the theoretical guidance for the follow-up production process.

Predict typhoon-induced storm surge deviation in a principal component back-propagation neural network model

To reduce typhoon-caused damages, numerical and empirical methods are often used to forecast typhoon storm surge. However, typhoon surge is a complex nonlinear process that is difficult to forecast accurately. We applied a principal component back-propagation neural network (PCBPNN) to predict the deviation in typhoon storm surge, in which data of the typhoon, upstream flood, and historical case studies were involved. With principal component analysis, 15 input factors were reduced to five principal components, and the application of the model was improved. Observation data from Huangpu Park in Shanghai, China were used to test the feasibility of the model. The results indicate that the model is capable of predicting a 12-hour warning before a typhoon surge.

Modeling water and carbon fluxes above summer maize field in North China Plain with back-propagation neural networks

In this work, datasets of water and carbon fluxes measured with eddy covariance technique above a summer maize field in the North China Plain were simulated with artificial neural networks (ANNs) to explore the fluxes responses to local environmental variables. The results showed that photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), air temperature (T) and leaf area index (LAI) were primary factors regulating both water vapor and carbon dioxide fluxes. Three-layer back-propagation neural networks (BP) could be applied to model fluxes exchange between cropland surface and atmosphere without using detailed physiological information or specific parameters of the plant.

Temperature prediction model for a high-speed motorized spindle based on back-propagation neural network optimized by adaptive particle swarm optimization

To predict the temperature of a motorized spindle more accurately,a novel temperature prediction model based on the back-propagation neural network optimized by adaptive particle swarm optimization(APSO-BPNN)is proposed.First,on the basis of the PSO-BPNN algorithm,the adaptive inertia weight is introduced to make the weight change with the fitness of the particle,the adaptive learning factor is used to obtain different search abilities in the early and later stages of the algorithm,the mutation operator is incorporated to increase the diversity of the population and avoid premature convergence,and the APSO-BPNN model is constructed.Then,the temperature of different measurement points of the motorized spindle is forecasted by the BPNN,PSO-BPNN,and APSO-BPNN models.The experimental results demonstrate that the APSO-BPNN model has a significant advantage over the other two methods regarding prediction precision and robustness.The presented algorithm can provide a theoretical basis for intelligently controlling temperature and developing an early warning system for high-speed motorized spindles and machine tools.

Preparation of ZrB_2-SiC Powders via Carbothermal Reduction of Zircon and Prediction of Product Composition by Back-Propagation Artificial Neural Network

Phase pure ZrB2-SiC composite powders were prepared after 1 450℃/3 h via carbothermal reduction route,by using ZrSiO4,B2O3 and carbon as the raw materials.The influences of firing temperature as well as the type and amount of additive on the phase composition of final products were detailedly investigated.The results indicated that the onset formation temperature of ZrB2-SiC was reduced to 1 400℃by the present conditions,and oxide additive（including CoSO4·7H2O,Y2O3 and TiO2）was effective in enhancing the decomposition of raw ZrSiO4,therefore accelerating the synthesis of ZrB2-SiC.Moreover,microstructural observation showed that the as-prepared ZrB2 and SiC respectively had well-defined hexagonal columnar and fibrous morphology.Furthermore,the methodology of back-propagation artificial neural networks（BP-ANNs）was adopted to establish a model for predicting the reaction extent（e g,the content of ZrB2-SiC in final product）in terms of various processing conditions.The results predicted by the as-established BP-ANNs model matched well with that of testing experiment（with a mean square error in 10^（-3） degree）,verifying good effectiveness of the proposed strategy.

Sound Quality Prediction of Vehicle Interior Noise under Multiple Working Conditions Using Back-Propagation Neural Network Model

This paper presents a back-propagation neural network model for sound quality prediction (BPNN-SQP) of multiple working conditions’ vehicle interior noise. According to the standards and regulations, four kinds of vehicle interior noises under operating conditions, including idle, constant speed, accelerating and braking, are acquired. The objective psychoacoustic parameters and subjective annoyance results are respectively used as the input and output of the BPNN-SQP model. With correlation analysis and significance test, some psychoacoustic parameters, such as loudness, A-weighted sound pressure level, roughness, articulation index and sharpness, are selected for modeling. The annoyance values of unknown noise samples estimated by the BPNN-SQP model are highly correlated with the subjective annoyances. Conclusion can be drawn that the proposed BPNN-SQP model has good generalization ability and can be applied in sound quality prediction of vehicle interior noise under multiple working conditions.

A back-propagation neural-network-based displacement back analysis for the identification of the geomechanical parameters of the Yonglang landslide in China

Xigeda formation is a type of hundredmeter-thick lacustrine sediments of being prone to triggering landslides along the trunk channel and tributaries of the upper Yangtze River in China. The Yonglang landslide located near Yonglang Town of Dechang County in Sichuan Province of China, which was a typical Xigeda formation landslide, was stabilized by anti-slide piles. Loading tests on a loading-test pile were conducted to measure the displacements and moments. The uncertainty of the tested geomechanical parameters of the Yonglang landslide over certain ranges would be problematic during the evaluation of the landslide. Thus, uniform design was introduced in the experimental design,and by which, numerical analyses of the loading-test pile were performed using Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua(FLAC3D) to acquire a database of the geomechanical parameters of the Yonglang landslide and the corresponding displacements of the loadingtest pile. A three-layer back-propagation neural network was established and trained with the database, and then tested and verified for its accuracy and reliability in numerical simulations. Displacement back analysis was conducted by substituting the displacements of the loading-test pile to the well-trained three-layer back-propagation neural network so as to identify the geomechanical parameters of the Yonglang landslide. The neuralnetwork-based displacement back analysis method with the proposed methodology is verified to be accurate and reliable for the identification of the uncertain geomechanical parameters of landslides.

Simulation and optimization for synthetic technology of 2-chloro-4,6-dinitroresorcinol based on back-propagation neural network

Back-propagation neural network was applied to predict and optimize the synthetic technology of 2-chloro-4,6-dinitroresorcinol. A model was established based on back-propagation neural network using the experimental data of homogeneous design as the training sample set and the technological parameters were optimized by it. The optimal technological parameters are as follows： the reaction time is 4h, the reaction temperature is 80℃, the molar ratio of NaOH to 4,6-dinitro-1,2,3-trichlorobenzene is 5.5：1, the molar ratio of methanol to 4,6-dinitro-1,2,3- trichlorobenzene is 11：1, and the molar ratio of water to 4,6-dinitro-1,2,3-trichlorobenzene is 70：1. Under the optimal conditions, three groups of experiments were performed and the average yield of 2-chloro-4,6-dinitroresorcinol is 96.64%, the absolute error of it with the predicted value is -1.07%.

TIME SERIES NEURAL NETWORK MODEL FOR HYDROLOGIC FORECASTING

Time series analysis plays an important role in hydrologic forecasting,while the key to this analysis is to establish a proper model.This paper presents a time series neural network model with back propagation procedure for hydrologic forecasting.Free from the disadvantages of previous models,the model can be parallel to operate information flexibly and rapidly.It excels in the ability of nonlinear mapping and can learn and adjust by itself,which gives the model a possibility to describe the complex nonlinear hydrologic process.By using directly a training process based on a set of previous data, the model can forecast the time series of stream flow.Moreover,two practical examples were used to test the performance of the time series neural network model.Results confirm that the model is efficient and feasible.

STUDY ON ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORK FORECASTING METHOD OF WATER CONSUMPTION PER HOUR

An artificial neural network (ANN) short term forecasting model of consumption per hour was built based on seasonality,trend and randomness of a city period of time water consumption series.Different hidden layer nodes,same inputs and forecasting data were selected to train and forecast and then the relative errors were compared so as to confirm the NN structure.A model was set up and used to forecast concretely by Matlab.It is tested by examples and compared with the result of time series trigonometric function analytical method.The result indicates that the prediction errors of NN are small and the velocity of forecasting is fast.It can completely meet the actual needs of the control and run of the water supply system.

River channel flood forecasting method of coupling wavelet neural network with autoregressive model

Based on analyzing the limitations of the commonly used back-propagation neural network （BPNN）, a wavelet neural network （WNN） is adopted as the nonlinear river channel flood forecasting method replacing the BPNN. The WNN has the characteristics of fast convergence and improved capability of nonlinear approximation. For the purpose of adapting the timevarying characteristics of flood routing, the WNN is coupled with an AR real-time correction model. The AR model is utilized to calculate the forecast error. The coefficients of the AR real-time correction model are dynamically updated by an adaptive fading factor recursive least square（RLS） method. The application of the flood forecasting method in the cross section of Xijiang River at Gaoyao shows its effectiveness.