Development of demolition project hazard index using the possibility approach

Abstract

Hazard assessment is the most crucial criterion for demolition projects’ safety due to its dynamics and characteristics. This study presents a framework to assess demolition hazards by developing the demolition project hazard index (DPHI), which represents hazard level of the demolition project’s using the possibility approach. The three-level hierarchical framework consisting of eight components and 29 attributes was adopted to evaluate DPHI. The evaluation methodology and weight determination of the hazardous components and their attributes were carried out using fuzzy measures, fuzzy integrals, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with cosine maximization (CM), and Weighted Sum Method (WSM). This study was validated by establishing the correlation between DPHI and safety budget of several demolition projects. In addition, the sensitivity analysis was presented to examine the influence of variation in components’ weights over DPHI. The DPHI will help distinguish the demolition projects based on their hazard level, which allows the stakeholders to understand a more realistic view of the hazard levels and, accordingly, the necessary resources can be assigned to expand the safety management in demolition projects. Application of possibility approach, AHP with CM, and consideration of the three-level hierarchical framework are some of the key contributions and highlights of this study.