Constitutive Kolmogorov–Arnold Networks (CKANs): Combining accuracy and interpretability in data-driven material modeling
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Hybrid constitutive modeling integrates two complementary approaches for describing and predicting a material’s mechanical behavior: purely data-driven black-box methods and physically constrained, theory-based models. While black-box methods offer high accuracy, they often lack interpretability and extrapolability. Conversely, physics-based models provide theoretical insight and generalizability but may not capture complex behaviors with the same accuracy. Traditionally, hybrid modeling has required a trade-off between these aspects. In this paper, we show how recent advances in symbolic machine learning—specifically Kolmogorov–Arnold Networks (KANs)—help to overcome this limitation. We introduce Constitutive Kolmogorov–Arnold Networks (CKANs) as a new class of hybrid constitutive models. By incorporating a post-processing symbolification step, CKANs combine the predictive accuracy of data-driven models with the interpretability and extrapolation capabilities of symbolic expressions, bridging the gap between machine learning and physical modeling.
Institutions: Hamburg University of Technology, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,220
OpenAlex ID: W4411200929