A Novel Algorithm for Merging Bayesian Networks

Abstract

The article presents a novel algorithm for merging Bayesian networks generated by different methods, such as expert knowledge and data-driven approaches, while leveraging a symmetry-based approach. The algorithm combines the strengths of each input network to create a more comprehensive and accurate network. Evaluations on traffic accident data from Prague in the Czech Republic and accidents on railway crossings demonstrate superior predictive performance, as measured by prediction error metric. The algorithm identifies and incorporates symmetric nodes into the final network, ensuring consistent representations across different methods. The merged network, incorporating nodes selected from both the expert and algorithm networks, provides a more comprehensive and accurate representation of the relationships among variables in the dataset. Future research could focus on extending the algorithm to deal with cycles and improving the handling of conditional probability tables. Overall, the proposed algorithm demonstrates the effectiveness of combining different sources of knowledge in Bayesian network modeling.