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Published in Dan M. Frangopol, Structures and Infrastructure Systems, 2019
Dan M. Frangopol, Mohamed Soliman
Because the sustainability assessment of infrastructure systems requires the analysis of various aspects related to the social, economic, and environmental metrics, the utility theory lends itself to such analysis. Once the utility function associated with each of the sustainability attributes is appropriately established, a multi-attribute utility that effectively represents all aspects of sustainability can be obtained. By using an additive formulation for the multi-attribute utility function, utility values associated with each attribute are multiplied by weighting factors and summed over all attributes involved (Stewart, 1996). Hence, the multi-attribute utility associated with a structural system can be computed as (Jiménez, Ríos-Insua, & Mateos, 2003) uS=wEcuEc(Ec)+wSuS(S)+wEnuEn(En), where wEc, wS and wEn are the weighting factors corresponding to each sustainability metric; uEc, uS and uEn are the utility functions for the economic, social, and environmental attributes, respectively; and Ec, S and En are the values of the three sustainability metrics.
A multi-voiced model for decision-making in water resource management. A case study in the urban area of Mar del Plata city, Argentina
Published in Urban Water Journal, 2023
Juan Intelisano, María Lourdes Lima, Natalia Veras, Bárbara Corleto, Victoria Asili, Héctor E. Massone
A multi-voiced decision model was designed based on relevant criteria and subcriteria for water resource management by means of the software Criterium Decision Plus 4.0 Beta (CDP, Murphy 2014). The Goal-Criteria-Subcriteria approach comprises a decision-making formulation that can be represented using a decision hierarchy. In this formulation, the analyst asks which criteria and subcriteria can be used to evaluate how well certain alternatives achieve the objectives (Reynolds, Hessburg, and Bourgeron 2014). The CDP software implements two primary decision-making methodologies that are currently employed by decision-makers, researchers, private companies, and the government. The two methods in question are the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Multiattribute Utility Theory as implemented in the Simple Multi-attribute Rating Technique (SMART) (Saaty 1992; Edwards 1977). SMART is derived from the closely related field of Multi-attribute Utility Theory (MAUT, Keeney and Raiffa 1976). The AHP method constructs a hierarchy of decision criteria, and by means of the pair-wise comparison of each possible criterion pair, produces a relative weight for each decision criterion. Each comparison consists of a two-part question that determines which criterion is more important, and how much more, using a numerical relational scale (Saaty 2000). For this purpose, in the multi-voiced decision model, weights or preferences were selected by direct allocation method and the Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique (SMART) to translate observations on model attributes into normalized utility scores.
Methodology to optimize radiation protection in radioactive waste disposal after closure of a disposal facility based on probabilistic approach
Published in Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 2018
Ryo Nakabayashi, Daisuke Sugiyama
As explained above, our methodology can collect and organize quantitative information on exposure such as the mode and width of the dose distribution in association with the engineering, economic, and social feasibility of each option. Only after referring to this information in the decision-making step is it possible to determine the optimal option and to give clear reasons for its selection. Even at the early or middle stage of the development of options, it is possible to narrow down the possible site and disposal facility designs and identify which uncertainties should be preferentially reduced, taking into account the feasibility. However, to determine the optimal option or narrow down the options, a decision-aiding technique such as cost-benefit analysis or multiattribute utility analysis must be used. The use of decision-aiding techniques is considered to be an effective means of formalizing and quantifying the selection of the best option in an optimization process [11]. This implementation will make it possible to demonstrate that the selected option has been chosen by a well-defined, rational procedure in comparison with alternative options.
Improving the Resilience of Historic Areas Coping with Natural and Climate Change Hazards: Interventions Based on Multi-Criteria Methodology
Published in International Journal of Architectural Heritage, 2023
Estibaliz Briz, Leire Garmendia, Ignacio Marcos, Alessandra Gandini
The contribution to sustainable development should be in all dimensions, which implies that factors of a diverse nature must be considered when analysing sustainability. The use of MIVES has yielded successful results when evaluating sustainability in the construction sector in different fields. MIVES uses a multi-attribute-utility theory and a multi-criteria decision-making method, including value function definitions, and the assignation of weights by means of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) (Saaty 2008; Saaty and Vargas 2012). This methodology provides a Prioritization Index (PI) for each solution in a ranking that facilitates the decision-making process.