Genetic programming to understand the influence of new sustainable powder materials in the fresh performance of cement pastes

This study focused on pastes that incorporate metakaolin, biomass ash, and granite powder as supplementary cementitious materials to obtain specific expressions to predict rheological properties in pastes and to define the most appropriate dosage parameters using genetic programming. For this purpose, a dataset was developed following a central composite design, and some fresh properties were measured: Marsh cone and rheological properties, such as yield stress and plastic viscosity. The models generated by genetic programming presented robust statistical indices for the properties studied. The influence of supplementary cementitious materials on rheological properties was also analysed through a parametric analysis. After analysing the factors affecting paste rheology, it was concluded that the most important aspects affecting fresh behaviour were water demand and particle interaction, as well as the relation between both effects. •Paste rheology with quaternary binders was studied by Genetic Programming (GP).•Metakaolin, biomass ash and granite powder were used as SCM.•Rheology is highly affected by water demand and particle interaction.•The granite was the powder that affected the fresh properties more negatively.•The relationship between paste and mortar rheology followed an exponential trend.