“…Due to its excellent ability of non-linear pattern recognition, generalization, self-organization and selflearning, the Artificial Neural Network Approach (ANNA) has been proved to be of widespread utility in engineering and is steadily advancing into diverse areas as material sciences (Li et al 2006), voice recognition, loan-risk assessment, stock market analysis, box office revenue forecasting (Zhang et al 2009) and military target discrimination. In geosciences and geo-engineering, neural networks have been applied in rock mechanics and rock engineering (Zhang et al 1991;Ghaboussi 1992;Lee and Sterling 1992), soil engineering (Kung et al 2007), well-log and well-test interpretation (Rogers et al 1992;AlKaabl and Lee 1993), seismic and satellite image processing (de Groot 1993;Penn et al 1993), groundwater characterization and remediation (Rizzo and Doughery 1994;Rogers and Dowla 1994), earthquake intensity prediction (Tung et al 1994), oil reservoir prediction (Yu et al 2008) and conductive fracture identification (Thomas and La Pointe 1995).…”