Multi-criteria Analysis Approach Research Articles

Exploring ways to determine an alternative strategic road network in a metropolitan city: A multi-criteria analysis approach

Street functional classification comprises a principal element of urban road networks. However, the conventional approach that has dominated urban and transport planning, has given main priority on car movement. This condition lead to significant negative impacts on cities such as major severances to the urban fabric, low multimodality level, inaccessible road environment for pedestrians and cyclists. As a result, it is clear that we should embark into a new hierarchy system, enhancing and supporting sustainable transport modes.The current research intends to develop a method that determines the strategic road network of a metropolitan region based on a multicriteria analysis process (MCA). More specifically, at first, we created 3 alternatives of re-defining the current strategic road network of the study area. These alternatives propose 3 different strategic network classifications according to several parameters; i) connectivity properties, ii) route position in the road network, iii) urban interest, iv) existence of major public transport lines and metropolitan cycling routes, as well as v) their existing classification condition. Afterwards, we evaluate these alternatives using multicriteria analysis (REGIME method) in order to choose the most efficient one. The evaluation process uses various criteria which cover a considerable range of urban and transport issues. The selected alternative adopts a two-dimensional matrix approach, which addresses the significance of the routes and the modes prioritized. The method is applied to the metropolitan area of Athens in Greece.It is worth noting that the selected alternative can bring about notable benefits for the Greek capital, such as increase of walking, cycling and public transport share, improvement of traffic safety level, greener mobility (less GHG emissions and energy consumption), enhancement of the urban realm, better accessibility and coherence of the urban fabric. The method proposed, is a human-oriented planning tool which provides priority to sustainable modes and could be replicated to other areas with similar characteristics as well.

Sostenibilidad ambiental de la producción de quinua (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) en los valles interandinos del Perú

En los últimos diez años, la producción de quinua en el Perú se ha intensificado, pasando de las prácticas tradicionales a sistemas de producción tecnificada en función de la demanda del mercado, lo que ha ocasionado cambios en términos económicos, sociales y, principalmente, ambientales. El objetivo de la investigación fue determinar los índices de sostenibilidad ambiental en tres comunidades productoras de quinua de la zona altoandina del departamento de Ayacucho, Perú. Bajo el enfoque metodológico de análisis multicriterio, se construyó una escala en porcentaje de valoración de sostenibilidad, siendo el valor cero (0) no sostenible, y 100 el umbral máximo de sostenibilidad. Para ello, se aplicaron encuestas con preguntas estructuradas en la dimensión ambiental. Los sistemas de producción de quinua alcanzan un Indicador Ambiental (IA) de 49,43 % o un rango de sostenibilidad baja. La variable de mayor contribución fue el riesgo de erosión (51,28 %), seguido del manejo de biodiversidad (48,68 %) y la conservación de la vida del suelo (48,32 %).

Analisis Kesesuaian Lokasi Bendung Kecil dan Daerah Pemanenan Air Hujan (PAH) dengan Menggunakan Sistem Informasi Geogerafis (SIG) di Wilayah Perkotaan

Assessment of site suitability for water harvesting in Sentul City is an important, because the Sentul City area often problems with water supply and is expected to prediction a water deficit in 2050, other problems are floods often occur in the downstream during the rainy season. This study aims to analyze the suitability of the location for small dam and reservoirs determine the number of small dam and reservoirs that can be built in Sentul City based on location suitability maps. Identifying locations for the construction of small dam and reservoirs can use of Geographic Information System (GIS), the approach used multi criteria analysis and weighted overlay techniques with software ArcGIS. Six criteria were considered for this study, which include topographic factors (slope), land use, soil texture, rainfall, and distance to the river and distance to the road. The multi criteria analysis approach, each criterion was assigned a weight with slope being considered as the most important factor. Weighted overlay analysis was performed in ArcGIS and determination of suitable small dam and reservoir site was done from the summation of weight of each contributing factor. A final suitability map was generated which indicated that 34% of the total study area showed that the area was not suitable, 31% highly suitable, 27% was suitable, 6% was moderately suitable and 2% was low suitable for dam construction. Based on suitable map, 5 (five) samall dam and 9 (nine) reservoir can be used to water harvesting that can be used as raw water sources in Sentul City.

A spatial multi-criteria analysis approach for planning and management of community-scale desalination plants

The rapid deterioration of the groundwater quality in the Gaza Strip-Palestine has increased reliance on community-scale brackish-water desalination plants (CBDPs). However, the escalating numbers of CBDPs is associated with poor operation practices and exhibit various adverse impacts, while the existing regulatory framework of this sector is still lacking the necessary tools for identifying and mitigating these impacts. The current study employed a GIS-based Multi-criteria Analysis (MCA) approach to plan and manage the existing and proposed CBDPs in Gaza Strip, Palestine. The criteria account for the various possible effects including: level of chloride and nitrate in the groundwater, variation in the water-table depth, population density, potential production capacity of CBDPs and operation hours, distance to the pumping wells, sea shoreline, and point-source contamination sites. The results showed that the locations of around 53% of the existing CBDPs are unsuitable; and the CBDPs exhibit potential risks to the environment. The study revealed that 65% of the total area of Gaza Strip would be unsuitable for CBDPs operating in a capacity above the current average. This highlights the significance of regulating the operational conditions of the existing CBDPs according to their geographical location and considering different alternatives of supply-demand schemes.

Prioritizing climate-sensitive infectious diseases under a changing climate in Ghana: a multicriteria evaluation analysis approach

Globally, climate change is impacting the incidence and distribution of climate-sensitive infectious diseases (CSIDs). The effects of climate change on infectious diseases are an important public health concern and necessitate effective prioritizing of resources for optimal responses, especially for the developing economies context where basic health services and capacities are challenged. To develop a coherent response to the potential incidence of climate-related outbreaks, and to longer-term altering disease patterns, there is the need for improved information upon which to base the mainstreaming of climate change into health planning. An essential way through which such information can be generated is prioritizing disease risks vis-a-vis public health threats under climate change. Using Ghana as a case study, a multicriteria evaluation approach was used to assess CSIDs that present the greatest risks and threats to public health under climate change based on a set of disease prioritization criteria. Expert opinion, morbidity data on CSIDs, and data from literature were utilized to undertake the disease prioritization. From the assessment, it emerged that epidemic-prone CSIDs (diarrhea, cholera, and meningitis) pose the greatest risks to public health. This prioritization provides a glimpse of the risks and threats that prevailing CSIDs would pose to public health under climate change. Further, it provides a preliminary model that can guide public health decisions in Ghana and other similar contexts in the developing world.

Evaluating the Security Impact of Healthcare Web Applications Through Fuzzy Based Hybrid Approach of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Analysis

Continuous data breaches targeting the invaluable medical records have become a nemesis for the healthcare organizations. A secure and effective information security model in healthcare web applications can gain and enhance the respect as well as revenue of the healthcare organizations. For achieving this goal, a multi-criteria decision methodology can be a milestone. The authors have used a hybrid integrated Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process-Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (Fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS) method for evaluating various information security factors of a web application in order to provide effective and useful results for the developers and researchers. Furthermore, every calculation needs a validation and scientific proof in our case the study assesses the evaluated result on software of hospital from Varanasi, India. The results and ideology of this study will definitely help the practitioners in developing secure and effective information security within a web application. Moreover, the empirical analysis conducted in our research has attempted to etch a systematic path for the developers who can focus on the most prioritized factors for assured and concrete information security within a web application.

Multicriteria Analysis for the Assessment of Flow Release Scenarios from a Hydropower Plant in the Alpine Region

The Alpine region is an area of conflict between the significant demand for hydropower (HP) generation and the protection of landscape and aquatic ecosystems. Decision Support Systems, like multicriteria analysis (MCA), represent suitable tools to support decision-makers and stakeholders in managing the use of water resources in a more sustainable way. Based on a set of “quality indexes” identified in a previous study, the present paper analyzes the use of MCA in a real case study of HP sustainable management in Aosta Valley, one of the most important Italian regions for HP production. The Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) methodology was applied to quantify the flow to be released by an existing HP plant, in order to balance production needs and watercourse environmental conditions protection considering four criteria (Energy, Environment & Fishing, Landscape, and Economy). The decisional process was developed within a collaborative and participatory framework, involving key stakeholders in every decision-making step, and the obtained results were officially adopted by the Regional Government. In the paper, some innovative aspects of the case study are presented and discussed, like the elaboration of reactive indicators related to the watercourse discharge, progressively updated with the stakeholders along the process, and the definition of “real-time” alternatives, relating the flow releases to the natural discharges in the watercourse. Finally, some weaknesses of this MCA approach are identified and suggestions for improvements in future experimentations are proposed.

A non-compensatory classification approach for multi-criteria ABC analysis

ABC analysis is a widespread inventory management technique designed to classify inventory items—based on their weighted scores—into three ordered categories A, B and C, where category A contains the most important items and category C includes the least important ones. This paper proposes a new ABC classification approach which involves a non-compensatory aggregation procedure, based on a simplified ELECTRE III method, to compute the score of each inventory item. A non-compensatory aggregation scheme means that the bad scores of an item on some significant criteria could not be offset by its high performances on the other criteria. This way of proceeding prohibits this kind of items from being classified into good categories and therefore generates a more realistic ABC classification of inventory items. Since the application of the simplified ELECTRE III method requires the knowledge of some parameter values, the continuous variable neighborhood search meta-heuristic will be used for their estimation. The comparative study—conducted on two real datasets—shows that the classification of items produced by our proposed approach has generated the lowest inventory cost value among those produced by all tested classification models.

Multi-criteria Analysis for Rapid Strategic Environmental Assessment in Tourism Planning

Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) is a group of analytical approaches allowing us to compare criteria or alternatives when making complex decisions. It can be applied in Strategic Environmental Assessment for supporting the integration of environmental, social and economic aspects into the development of strategies, policies, plan and programme making. This paper reports on an application of analytical hierarchy process (AHP) as one of MCA approaches to assess Gilan Tourism Development Plan in Iran. Here, the Global Sustainable Tourism criteria were weighted by AHP on the basis of experts’ opinions. The extent to which development options for Gilan Tourism Development Plan were likely to be sustainable was assessed using a list of weighted criteria. The evaluation of the findings suggests that the plan has not met all the sub-criteria of sustainable tourism.

Suitable carbon sources selection and ranking for biodiesel production by oleaginous Mucor circinelloides using multi-criteria analysis approach

Crude oil is the most important raw material used in chemical industry and for energy supply. Microbial lipids are ideal for various industrial applications as an alternative to conventional fuel. However, the main factor controlling the total production costs is the choice of the growth substrates. For this reason, economically feasible substrate such as agro-industrial residues has been explored. In addition, the most suitable substrates for biodiesel production were selected by PROMETHEE-GAIA analysis on the basis of the fatty acid profile of the produced oils. Six strains were selected as the best lipid producer among twenty-three fungal strains screened by colorimetric methods. The strains identified belong to the genera Fusarium and Mucor. Mucor circinelloides was chosen for comparative evaluation of the accumulation performance with different carbon sources. The use of soap stock of refined soybean oil, waste cooking oils and soap stock of refined olive-pomace successfully resulted in improved lipid yield (4.07, 2.69 and 2.44 g/L) (ρ = 0.001; ρ > 0.05) and the lipid content at 46%, 51% and 44% (ρ = 0.049; ρ < 0.05) respectively. The ability to use low-cost agro industrial raw materials for the production of microbial lipids has been proven. The fatty acid profile of M. circinelloides grown on used cooking oils improved the level of linoleic acid (56.26%) that can be valorized as additive in health and dietary supplements. Glucose, refined olive-pomace oil soap stock, and refined soybean oil have influenced the resulting fatty acid profile and meet the characteristics required for successful biodiesel production.

Evaluating Management Strategies for Mount Kenya Forest Reserve and National Park to Reduce Fire Danger and Address Interests of Various Stakeholders

A Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) approach was employed for evaluating and selecting the best management strategy for Mount Kenya Forest Reserve and National Park (MKFRNP). The MCA approach used a set of objectives and criteria (O&amp;C) to address the complexity of the decision problem in a transparent and understandable way, which also facilitated the active participation by diverse professionals, experts, and interest groups. The management strategies were developed to fulfill the key components of MKFRNP management and the current situation in the study area. The seven management strategies focused on climate change mitigation, protection of water catchments, education and research, stakeholder involvement, biodiversity conservation, timber production, and community interests. Forest stations with differing fire danger levels (very high, high, moderate, and low) were selected to compare the performance of the management strategies. The strategies were assessed qualitatively on their potential to improve the current situation according to the entire set of O&amp;C. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed to identify the best management strategy according to the overall preferences of all stakeholder groups. The AHP indicated that a strategy focusing on community interests provided the best option to address the current management challenges in all the seven forest stations independently of their fire danger levels. Biodiversity conservation should also be considered by resource managers in order to reduce fire danger and increase the benefits obtained by different stakeholders in MKFRNP.

Western Australian marine oil pollution risk assessment: identification of protection priorities

The Western Australian Department of Transport (DoT) is the hazard management agency (HMA) for marine oil pollution in Western Australia (WA). DoT initiated the WA marine oil pollution risk assessment (WAMOPRA), a detailed assessment of oil spill risk in Western Australian State waters. It comprised two components. The first component evaluated protection priorities of the receiving environment to assess potential consequences of marine oil pollution. The second component assessed the likelihood, size, location and type of marine oil pollution. Protection priority outputs from component one were modelled with spill risk from component two, to give an overall risk profile for the State. For management purposes, State waters were divided into seven zones and smaller shoreline cells (~10 km × ~20 km). Geospatial datasets representing the various receptors identified were collated and grouped into the following five categories: Protected fauna; Protection areas; Cultural heritage; Economic; and Social, amenity and recreation. Using a multi-criteria analysis approach, the spatial data layers for each receptor identified were assigned a ranking from one (very low priority) to five (very high priority) for protection. The effects of both floating and dissolved hydrocarbons were ranked. These rankings were then used to produce a map showing very low to very high priorities of the shoreline cells for each category. The outcome of this project is the largest single assessment of protection priorities (~13000 km of coastline), undertaken across a highly variable coastline, using a standard and repeatable approach that can be applied across Australia.

The Planning and Appraisal of Mega Transport Infrastructure Projects Delivered by Public–Private Partnerships: The Case for the Use of Policy-Led Multi-Criteria Analysis

Abstract Mega transport infrastructure projects are frequently perceived as critical to the “success” of major metropolitan, regional and national development because of their potential to affect significant socioeconomic and territorial changes. However, the mega infrastructure development literature tends to focus upon the frequent failures of such projects because of their inability to meet their original expectations. A major cause for such perceived underperformance has been attributed to the inadequacies of ex-ante project appraisal methodologies. In particular, their excessively narrow focus has prompted growing calls for broader and more transparent project appraisal frameworks. These calls coincide with a period where public private partnerships (PPPs) are growing in importance globally as the favoured procurement route for governments looking to undertake new mega transport infrastructure developments. Some see the practicalities of PPPs as placing them at odds with aspirations for more inclusive and open project appraisal with adequate consideration of the public interest. It is the authors’ contention that if introduced with broader and more systematically presented sustainability concerns, PPPs can remain compatible with such ambitions. Towards this end, this paper presents the rudimentaries of a policy-led multi-criteria analysis (PLMCA) approach to project appraisal as a means by which PLMCA can contribute to more holistic PPP procurement practices. The authors contend in the latter part of the paper that PLMCA addresses many of the limitations associated with the application of narrower decision-making and project appraisal approaches currently supporting PPPs and other more conventional procurement practices.

Prioritization of W. Alarab Sub-Watersheds (North Jordan) for Conservation Measures Using RS, GIS, and Multi-Criteria Analysis

Soil erosion and high sediment flow are of eminent environmental concern in Wadi Alarab catchment, northern Jordan. The objective of this research is to conduct a prioritization scheme using RS, GIS, and multi-criteria analysis approach based on morphometric analysis, land use/land cover (LULC) change analysis, and soil loss modeling based on RUSLE model factors. ASTER GDEM and Arc GIS were utilized to delineate watersheds and extract the drainage networks using the Arc Hydro tool. Five basic morphometric parameters, five linear and five shape parameters, six LULC classes, and five soil erosion risk classes are applied to prioritize 13 sub-watersheds connected to W. Alarab basin. LANDSAT images were subjected to supervised classification (the Maximum Likelihood Method) to determine land use/cover changes and to establish the LULC map/layer. Soil erosion risk classes were estimated using the RULSE model. RULSE factors (R, K, L, S, C, and P) were calculated in a GIS environment, then multiplied together so as to estimate soil loss (ton·ha-1·yr-1) and to establish a soil erosion risk map for the entire watershed and the thirteen sub-watersheds. A GIS-based integration of the three layers compiled for each criterion reveals that six sub-watersheds (1, 5, 8, 9, 10, and 11) are categorized under low priority. Further, three sub-basins (4, 12, and 13) are fall under moderate priority, and four sub-basins (2, 3, 6, and 7) are designated as of high priority. It is obvious that 53.8% of these sub-basins must be prioritized immediately for soil and conservation measures. The validity of the achieved priority classes was tested statistically using Discriminant Analysis (DA), and the results showed that morphometric parameters, LULC analysis, and soil loss are accepted criteria for prioritization. These results are intended to help decision-makers to prepare reliable soil erosion management plans.

Developing Assessment Criteria for Sustainable Transport Appraisal

Defining a clear, comprehensive, and non-overlapping set of assessment criteria is a crucial step in multi-criteria analysis processes. Although criteria are typically developed based on planning objectives, there currently exists no standard procedure for conducting this exercise when both transportation and wider sustainable development goals need to be considered jointly. Based on research applying the multi-actor multi-criteria analysis approach to the case of a high-speed rail project in the UK, this paper presents a framework and a replicable stakeholder involvement process for selecting, defining, and naming assessment criteria to be used in sustainable transport appraisal (STA). The framework consists of a set of systematic guidelines and considerations for producing a coherent list that addresses known cognitive biases and can be understood by a broad range of stakeholders. A further practicable outcome of the research is a comprehensive list, developed using this framework, of 28 transport assessment criteria encompassing direct project impacts, indirect societal impacts, and environmental impacts. This list can serve as a starting point for planners wishing to conduct MCA-based STA. One key take-away from this research is the emphasis on an inclusive, interactive, and iterative approach for defining sustainable transport assessment criteria.

An Integrated Approach for Selection of Intercity Transport Schemes on Railway Networks

A major problem connected with planning the organization of trains on a railway network is the optimization of the scheme of movement, which determines the routing and the number of trains. In this paper, an integrated approach of fuzzy linear programming method and multi-criteria analysis including three steps is proposed. In the first step, we defined the schemes of transportation of intercity trains and optimized each scheme in terms of direct operating costs by taking into account the uncertainty of passenger flows and utilization of train capacity using the fuzzy linear programming method. In the second step we determined the additional technological criteria to assess the variant schemes. The Fuzzy AHP method was applied to determine the weights of criteria. Using the results obtained from Fuzzy AHP, we prioritized the variant schemes of transportation by applying the PROMETHEE method. The third step presents the optimal choice of transportation of trains on a railway network based on minimum ratio of normalized costs and normalized PROMETHEE net outranking flow. In this step, the model uses the results obtained in the first and second steps. The practicability of the integrated approach is demonstratedthrough the case study of Bulgaria’s railway network, and nine schemes were investigated. The model results and the real situation were compared. It was found out that the optimal scheme of intercity train transportation improves the service and reduces direct operating costs.

MultiCriteria Analysis (MCA) Approach and GIS for Flood Risk Assessment and Mapping in Mayo Kani Division, Far North Region of Cameroon

Floods are among the most common disasters that damages are considerable and are challenges for the world. By this fact, it is important to seek for a suitable method of management of these natural disasters. The present study aims to map the flood risk steps according to AHP-ACM integrated under GIS, for aid decision making. Analysis and global approach of multisource data as well as imagery satellite Landsat 8, SRTM, soil, and rainfall, and field work data have contributed to set up the different steps of flood risks in the study area where some localities have been subject to flooding since 2012. The superimposition of criteria such as rainfall, slope, drainage density, land cover, population density and soil, according to their weights has allowed establishing hazard and vulnerability maps. The map of various steps of flood risk is got from the superimposition of hazard and vulnerability maps and five steps are defined. Results show that 22.77% represent very high and high steps of flood risk and they are spread in the eastern and northern while 77.30% correspond to moderate and very low steps of flood risk within the study area. Analysis of results reveals that very high and high steps are the consequence of the junction of rainfall comprised between 550-670 mm, wetland and shrub savannah, ferruginous and hydromorphic soils, slope less than 5% and weak drainage network. Keywords Flood risk mapping; GIS; Multicriteria analysis; Mayo Kani division DOI: https://doi.org/10.23953/cloud.ijarsg.375

How to identify suitable ways for the hydrothermal treatment of wet bio-waste? A critical review and methods proposal

A considerable amount of wet biogenic residues and waste has no resource-efficient use in several European countries yet. Hydrothermal processes (HTP) seem to be promising for treating such biomass as they best work with substrates with 70% to 90% water content. However, thus far the suitability of HTP for this purpose has not been sufficiently evaluated, for which this work aims to identify suitable multi-criteria analysis (MCA) methods that can be used to identify promising ways for the hydrothermal treatment of wet bio-waste. A review on 31 recent MCA studies in bio-waste management was conducted with the aim of comparing them to methodological requirements for evaluating HTP. Furthermore, an MCA approach for HTP based on the review findings is proposed. Results show that no observed MCA method is directly transferable for assessing HTP, for which a customized approach combining the analytical hierarchy process and the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solutions is proposed and preliminarily validated with literature data. These preliminary calculations indicate that hydrothermal gasification seems most promising under consideration of multiple criteria using the available average and exemplary data. However, needless to say there is still a long way to go to obtain the sufficient adequate data to validate and use the model appropriately, for which further studies are necessary to acquire more reliable data and to assess also future technology developments of HTP.

A Framework for Prioritizing Urban Arterial/Freeway Interchange Types using Multi-Criteria Analysis

An interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation to accommodate different volumes of traffic safely and efficiently through interconnecting roads. There are many types of interchanges, each of which has different characteristics and applications. In this paper, a prioritization framework is proposed for selecting a suitable interchange type based on a variety of performance measures, including operational performance, socio-environment, safety, and cost. The assessment is based on a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) approach. The relative importance of the criteria is obtained using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) whereby the weights of the criteria are derived using multilevel hierarchic structures. Consequently, using a linear additive model, each alternative is evaluated on a set of criteria derived from several objectives. This paper illustrates the implementation of the proposed framework in a case study of an urban interchange in the city of Riyadh. This research study considers three interchanges in the analysis to demonstrate the procedure; other interchange forms may also be appropriate at the site used in the study. This research helps in defining the criteria that play a significant role in determining the preferred design alternative, and the extent to which each of these criteria has an effect on the overall priority of a certain interchange configuration. The results of the study showed that the Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) outperformed its interchange counterparts and was chosen as the most preferred interchange configuration. The Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) ranked second while the Tight Urban Diamond (TUDI) was least preferred. Sensitivity analysis was undertaken to determine the impact of changes in criteria scoring or weights on the overall results, and revealed the robustness of the proposed model.

An Overview of Current Models and Approaches to Biomass Supply Chain Design and Management

The paper focuses on the progress related to models and approaches for an optimal design and management of biomass supply chains. A literature review has been conducted, and previous review papers have been used as bases. Do most of the current models adopt the same decision level, mathematical methodology and type of objective of those identified by previous reviews? Are there any innovative approaches to revitalise the considered research topic? Most of the works published in 2017 and in early 2018 reflect the past literature reviews; regrettably, few relevant advances have been achieved in the recent period to face up the major gaps. Innovative works apply Life Cycle Assessment, Multi-Criteria Analysis, CyberGIS or Agent-Based approaches to biomass supply chain optimisation. Future research should address, for instance, sustainability of biomass supply chains through a more comprehensive approach including economic, environmental, social and policy-related issues, integration of the decision levels to meet the needs of different stakeholders.