Abstract
In civil engineering and construction, in the selection of the most adequate and sustainable alternative, all of the alternatives and selection criteria, such as the requirements of the construction process (which are often overlooked) and the preferences of designers, clients, or contractors, are not always taken into account. The purpose of this article is to suggest a methodology that may allow studying all of the possible alternatives to find the most ideal solution among all of the existing possibilities for the selection of retaining walls to be built in infrastructures in different environments. For this purpose, all typologies of retaining walls and selection criteria (external requirements, construction requirements, characteristics of the natural land and economic criteria) are first identified. Subsequently, a simple methodological method is proposed, allowing the relative importance of each criterion to be established and allowing us to select the most suitable solution for each situation by successively applying different multicriteria decision-making methods. Finally, the methodology developed is applied to two projects in different locations with different constraints. The results obtained provide a set of compromise solutions that remain as best-rank alternatives when the weights of the criteria change. Therefore, the methodology developed can be applied to the selection of typologies of other structures in future projects.
Highlights
A retaining wall could be defined as any uninterrupted structure that, whether in a passive or in an active way, produces a stabilizing effect over a mass of land [1]
After applying the methodology (AHP + viekriterijumsko kompromisno rangiranje (VIKOR) methods) to two projects in different environments, in both cases, we obtained a compromise solution that remains stable in the case of changes in the weights of the selection criteria
The methodology developed first provides a systematic process for the identification of alternatives and selection criteria for the selection of types of retaining walls
Summary
A retaining wall could be defined as any uninterrupted structure that, whether in a passive or in an active way, produces a stabilizing effect over a mass of land [1]. There are different classifications of retaining walls according to different criteria: load support mechanism (externally or internally stabilized walls), construction concept (fill or cut), system rigidity (rigid or flexible), and service life (permanent or temporary) [3]. Several different types of retaining walls exist with different performance characteristics as well as constructability characteristics, as well as different uses [2]. Retaining walls are expensive structures that are designed and constructed to support cut and fill slopes where space is not available for construction of flatter, more stable slopes [3]; the cost of construction, the environment and the space available will be criteria to take into account in its design and construction. Selecting a type of retaining wall is a complex process, considering the various geotechnical and non-geotechnical factors involved [4]. During the selection process, it is necessary to consider all the criteria during the whole life cycle [5]
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