Review fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making in construction management using a network approach

Abstract

With numerous and ambiguous information and often-conflicting requirements, construction management (CM) is regarded as a complex process with uncertainty. Fuzzy multi-criteria decision making (FMCDM) is thus becoming popular as an efficient approach to addressing complex problems with diverse decision-makers’ interests, conflicting objectives, and numerous but uncertain information. Previous studies mainly focused on the proposition and application of FMCDM methods in construction management. Although there have been some works to review FMCDM methods and applications, they mainly relied on bibliometrics and taxonomy to summarise and present critiques of existing literature without digesting the relationships between fuzzy sets (FSs), MCDM and associated applications. This paper aims to comprehensively review and analyse the literature of FMCDM in CM from 2007 to 2017 using a network approach for both summarising the development of FMCDM in CM and providing insights into the relationships between FSs, MCDM and associated applications. A total of 165 published journal articles were first chosen, involving 37 single-hybrid and 17 multiple-hybrid FMCDM methods. Current practices of these methods are introduced and discussed, disclosing their characteristics, strengths and limitations. Network meta-analysis is then performed based on the literature to explore the correlations between FSs, MCDM methods and construction applications for establishing a FSs-MCDM-CM network. Finally, based on such a network, the current practice of FMCDM in CM is summarised and discussed. It also suggests a two-step way to select appropriate FMCDM methods for addressing CM problems and recommends new directions for future research and applications. The results will inform and guide both practitioners and researchers in FMCDM methods selection and exploration in CM. This research contributes to the body of knowledge through providing a new vision to review, analyse and critique the FMCDM methods and application in CM from the network perspective.