Use Of Multi-criteria Methods Research Articles

Land use suitability analysis using an approach combining GIS, regionalization, and PROMETHEE II

ABSTRACT Land-use Suitability Analysis, which aims to identify the suitability of a given area for a particular use by using a certain number of criteria, is a domain that has received a lot of attention from researchers during the last 20 years and most of the works that have been proposed rely on the use of multi-criteria methods which are based on a complete aggregation of alternatives such as Weighted Linear Combination (WLC). The outranking methods, which are multi-criteria methods that rely on a partial aggregation of alternatives, have rarely been used. In the context of Land-use Suitability Analysis, outranking methods quickly reach their computational limits because they require performing comparisons between each pair of pixels. To reduce the initial number of alternatives, we propose to proceed to the regionalization of the study area by grouping neighbouring pixels that have similar properties in homogeneous zones. We then use PROMETHEE II (Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment of Evaluations), an outranking method whose objective is to rank a set of alternatives from the best to the worst. A study for the choice of a landfill site was carried out using our approach and the obtained results were compared with those of WLC.

Understanding housing design in urban areas through adaptability and flexibility assessment

ABSTRACT Housing adaptability and flexibility are constant themes in scientific literature. Technological advancements and shrinking urban spaces have led to new design proposals in architecture. However, evaluating housing solutions and contributing to projects can be challenging. The main objective of this study is to develop a framework for evaluating housing adaptability and flexibility. The framework is based on Adaptability and Flexibility Indexes and is performed using BIM and Dynamo plugin. The indexes are calculated using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Adaptability and flexibility are mainly related to dimensions, hierarchy, and circulation of housing design. Additionally, the use of multi-criteria methods in architecture can aid in understanding the subject. It is important to note adaptability and flexibility must be worked together to achieve the maximum potential of housing.

Experimental Research on the Use of a Selected Multi-Criteria Method for the Cutting of Titanium Alloy with an Abrasive Water Jet.

The use of selected multi-criteria decision methods for the optimization of cutting processes by abrasive water jet methods is increasingly being used in industrial processes. This is due to the complexity of the processes and the need to reduce operating costs. Process optimization methods are available to support organizational processes including the design phase, quality assurance, production automation, and many more. This article presents the current state of research on the water-abrasive cutting process and the use of multi-criteria methods in optimizing this process. This article presents a detailed methodological study of the VIKOR approach to optimization, indicating the applicability conditions, assumptions, and limitations on the example of high-pressure abrasive water jet cutting of elements made of titanium alloy utilizing HPX garnet abrasive. As a result of the research conducted, the best input parameters of the cutting process for abrasive flow rate, pressure, and the traverse speed of the cutting process were determined. The achieved result is consistent with the assumption that the most favorable output parameters are the highest cutting depth and the lowest level of roughness.

Combined Framework of Multicriteria Methods to Identify Quality Attributes in Augmented Reality Applications

This study proposes a combined framework of multicriteria decision methods to describe, prioritize, and group the quality attributes related to the user experience of augmented reality applications. The attributes were identified based on studies of high-impact repositories. A hierarchy of the identified attributes was built through the multicriteria decision methods Fuzzy Cognitive Maps and DEMATEL. Additionally, a statistical analysis of clusters was developed to determine the most relevant attributes and apply these results in academic and industrial contexts. The main contribution of this study was the categorization of user-experience quality attributes in augmented reality applications, as well as the grouping proposal. Usability, Satisfaction, Stimulation, Engagement, and Aesthetics were found to be among the most relevant attributes. After carrying out the multivariate analysis, two clusters were found with the largest grouping of attributes, oriented to security, representation, social interaction, aesthetics, ergonomics of the application, and its relationship with the user’s emotions. In conclusion, the combination of the three methods helped to identify the importance of the attributes in training processes. The holistic and detailed vision of the causal, impact, and similarity relationships between the 87 attributes analyzed were also considered. This framework will allow the generation of a baseline for the use of multicriteria methods in research into relevant aspects of Augmented Reality.

Use of multi-criteria methods to support decision-making in drug management for leprosy patients

Leprosy remains a major public health problem in the world. Despite the availability of treatment, the disease continues to be neglected. Treatment is one of the main alternatives, however, the scarcity of medication and its poor distribution are important factors that have driven the spread of the disease, leading to irreversible and multi-resistant complications. This paper uses a distribution methodology to optimise medication administration, taking into account the most relevant attributes for the epidemiological profile of patients and the deficit in treatment via polychemotherapy. Multi-criteria decision methods were used applied in a database with information from patients in the State of Pará between 2015 and 2020. The results pointed out that 84% of individuals did not receive any treatment and of these, the method obtained a gain in the distribution of 68% in patients with positive diagnosis for leprosy.

Use of Multi-criteria Methods to Support Decision-Making in Drug Management for Leprosy Patients

Use of Multi-criteria Methods to Support Decision-Making in Drug Management for Leprosy Patients

The use of multi-criteria methods to assess the citation potential of scientific articles

The use of multi-criteria methods to assess the citation potential of scientific articles

Methodological approach to evaluating the cost-effectiveness of unmanned aerial vehicle with a turbojet engine

During the design and construction of new products, it is necessary to evaluate their effectiveness and technical thoroughness already at the preliminary design stage. For unmanned aerial vehicle systems (hereinafter referred to as UAVs), one of the areas of such assessment can be the ratio of the overall tactical and technical requirements to the estimated flight and technical properties of the prospective model to the characteristics of the best analogues. However, such estimates are associated with a high degree of uncertainty in the early stages of UAV design. There is a question of a priori evaluations with the use of multicriteria approaches arises. At the same time, the use of multicriteria methods of evaluation of complex technical systems, such as UAVs requires the use of large amounts of data with significant time consumption, so the search for comprehensive evaluation indicators, as proposed in this article, is considered to be relevant. This article deals with the complex evaluation of the technical efficiency of unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with turbojet propulsion system (hereinafter — turbojet). For this purpose, the composition and content of the relevant methodological apparatus for assessing efficiency and a comprehensive indicator of technical excellence of unmanned aerial vehicles with turbojet engines are substantiated. In contrast to existing approaches, the obtained comprehensive indicator allows to evaluate UAVs on the minimum necessary information about its flight data, which allows to use the proposed methodological apparatus for assessing UAVs already at the design stages. In accordance with the proposed methodological apparatus, the actual comparative assessment of the UAV group with turbojets was carried out. A differential scale for evaluating the technical perfection of UAVs has been constructed. This approach, in the opinion of the authors, will allow to increase the reliability of comparative evaluations of UAVs with turbojets for the minimum required amount of output data.

The use of multi-criteria method in the process of threat assessment to the environment

Measurements of the content of trace elements, including toxic and carcinogenic metals, in various fractions of particulate matter PM are an important element of environmental monitoring and research involving their impact on human health. The article presents the measurement results of atmospheric composition of suspended dust (PM10), respirable fraction (PM2.5) and submicron particulate matter (PM1) collected with the Dekati PM10 cascade impactor. Samples were collected in the vicinity of four working power plants (from 28 May to 23 September 2014) and four coking plants (from 4 May to 28 August 2015) in Upper Silesia, Poland. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the solutions: arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb) and selenium (Se) obtained for individual fractions was performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, using the apparatus ICP-MS. The research results were used to determine a synthetic assessment of the threat to the anthropogenic environment and for the preparation of the ranking of the measured points.

Model of Regional Tourism Competitiveness: Fuzzy Multiple-Criteria Approach (FDM-FAHP-PROMETHE II Framework)

Purpose: The aim of the article is to build a research, comprehensive and objective model that takes into account various factors determining the regional tourism competitiveness on the example of 21 counties in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Degign/Methodology/Approach: The model uses the concept of fuzzy numbers, the Delphi method and two multi-criteria methods: AHP and PROMETHE II. An important scientific contribution to the issue of regional competitiveness of tourism is an in-depth look at several dozen different criteria, that have an impact on it. Collected data and the used research methods made it possible to reliably select those that should be noticed and developed by various stakeholders in the region. Findings: The main conclusion resulting from the research is the fact that the most important criteria for the level of tourist competitiveness of a destination include natural tourist attraction, anthropological tourist attractions, accommodation base, recreational infrastructure and catering base; whereas the criterion of safety and facilities for disabled tourists and para-tourist infrastructure is of little importance. The county with the highest level of tourism competitiveness is Kolobrzeg county, and the lowest - Pyrzycki county. Practical implications: An important scientific and practical contribution to the issue of regional competitiveness of tourism is an in-depth look at several dozen different criteria, that have an impact on it. Collected data and the used research methods made it possible to reliably select those that should be noticed and developed by various stakeholders in the region. Originallity value: Comprehensive approach to tourism competitiveness of regions with the use of multi-criteria method, which in an objective way indicates the aspects, features, attributes, factors evaluated as key in building the entity's position on the market.

Intuitionistic Fuzzy TOPSIS as a Method for Assessing Socioeconomic Phenomena on the Basis of Survey Data.

In the assessment of most complex socioeconomic phenomena with the use of multicriteria methods, continuous data are used, the source of which are most often public statistics. However, there are complex phenomena such as quality of life and quality of services in the assessment, for which questionnaire surveys and ordinal measurement scales are used. In this case, the use of classic multicriteria methods is very difficult, taking into account the way of presenting this type of data by official statistics, as well as their permissible transformations and arithmetic operations. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was the presentation of a novel framework which can be applied for assessing socioeconomic phenomena on the basis of survey data. It was assumed that the object assessments may contain positive or negative opinions and an element of uncertainty expressed in the form a “no”, “difficult to say”, or “no opinion” answers. For this reason, the intuitionistic fuzzy TOPSIS (IF-TOPSIS) method is proposed. To demonstrate the potential of this solution, the results of measuring the subjective quality of life of the inhabitants of 83 cities in EU countries, EFTA countries, the UK, the Western Balkans, and Turkey are presented. For most cities, a high level of subjective quality of life was observed using the proposed approach. The highest level of quality of life was observed in Zurich, whereas the lowest was observed in Palermo.

Uptake and Dissemination of Multi-Criteria Decision Support Methods in Civil Engineering—Lessons from the Literature

The SCOPUS and Wed of Science bibliometric databases were searched for papers related to the use of multi-criteria methods in civil engineering related disciplines. The results were analyzed for information on the reported geographical distribution of usage, the methods used, the application areas with most usage and the software tools used. There was a wide geographical distribution of usage with all northern hemisphere continents well represented. However, of the very many methods available, a small number seemed to dominate usage, with the Analytic Hierarchy Process being the most frequently used. The application areas represented in the documents found was not widely spread and mainly seemed to be focused on issues such as sustainability, environment, risk, safety and to some extent project management, with less usage on other areas. This may be due to individual engineer’s choices in relation to if and how to disseminate the results of their work and to their choice of keywords and titles that determine if their publications are selected in bibliographic searches and thus more visible to a wider readership. A comparison with more topic focused searches, relating to Bridge Design, Earthquake Engineering, Cladding, Sewage Treatment, Foundation design, Truss design, Water Supply, Building Energy, Route selection and Transport mode showed very different results. Analysis of the papers in this area indicated that the full range of supporting software available for multi-criteria decision analysis (many listed in this paper) may not be fully appreciated by potential users.

Operational research applied in the field of public security

PurposeBecause that the crime in a wide way impacts the life of the people in the big metropolis, researchers have treated the question from several angles. The purpose of the paper, under the umbrella of operational research, is to develop a model of the ordering of police strategies, in the fight against crime in general, according to a certain criminal demand.Design/methodology/approachFor the construction of the impact matrix of the strategies under the reduction of crime rates, considering a portfolio of crimes, a questionnaire applied to specialists was used. In a second moment, defined the criteria and strategies to be ordered, the multicriteria ELECTRE IV method was used, which with the help of the J-Electre software emulated the systematized data in the impact matrix and produced the final ordering of the most efficient strategies, in the fight against crime, in the perception of decision-makers.FindingsAs a result, the research revealed that policing strategies directed at solving specific crimes are the most effective in the perception of decision-makers after the emulation of data with the ELECTRE IV method.Research limitations/implicationsAs research implications, it can be inferred that the use of multicriteria methods in the modeling of problems in the area of public security can contribute to rationalization of the use of the means available in the fight against crime in large cities. The research showed that it is possible to use customized policing strategies to a certain reality.Practical implicationsThe method presented in this research is directly related to the major strategies: problem-oriented policing and hot spot policing. This method allows public safety managers to consider the possibility of combining different law enforcement strategies in each context. In this sense, the use of the multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) (ELECTRE IV) method allows the evaluation of a large set of alternatives according to a set of established criteria, speeding up the process and reducing subjectivity, allowing the manager to analyze several scenarios with greater clarity and impartiality and choosing an alternative that best solves the proposed problem. The expected result is the rationalization of the available means applied in the search for the reduction of crime rates.Social implicationsThe customization of policing strategies, according to criminal demands, implies the efficient way to reduce criminal charges. Reducing criminal rates enables the development of the local economy, tourism and the quality of life of people by exercising their freedom to the full.Originality/valueThe originality lies in filling a gap in the literature with the elaboration of the impact matrix of policing strategies in reducing criminal indices, and in their associated use in ordering strategies through a multicriteria method.

Selection of materials by multi-criteria methods applied to the side of a self-supporting structure for light vehicles

The selection of materials is an important stage in the design and development of products, but considering the enormous amount of materials available on the market that have different properties and characteristics, defining suitable and ideal alternatives is a difficult task. Within the automotive area there is a tendency to develop vehicles with greater efficiency and capacity, keeping aside the economic implications without underestimating the functionality of the materials. The use of multi-criteria methods (MCDM) allows the establishment of a reliable selection methodology, due to the interaction between each of the criteria with statistical methods that converge in a single solution. The methodology used in this study was based on the application of MCDM methods, and the comparison between them to determine a convergence in the alternatives of greater potential for the structural section of vehicles. Four methods were evaluated: TOPSIS, COPRAS, VIKOR, PROMETHEE II, obtaining that for all the methods the best material corresponds to the Martensitic Steel YS1200, being this the most appropriate one when fulfilling structural requirements, as well as providing a reduction of weight and price.

Métodos Multicriterio aplicados a la parte lateral de una estructura autoportante para vehículos livianos

INTRODUCCIÓN. La selección de materiales es una etapa importante en el diseño y desarrollo de productos, mediante la utilización de métodos multicriterio, es posible establecer una metodología de selección confiable, convergiendo en una solución única y fiable. OBJETIVO. Aplicar métodos multicriterio para la selección de la parte lateral estructural de un vehículo, para obtener una mayor eficiencia y rendimiento en el aprovechamiento de materiales. MÉTODOS. Mediante la metodología de Pareto y métodos multicriterio (TOPSIS, COPRAS, VIKOR, PROMETHEE II), establecer indicadores de resultados confiables para la selección de materiales estructurales en base a la comparación de criterios cuantitativos. RESULTADOS. Luego de la comparación de los métodos aplicados, se observa que todos establecen que el material del Acero Martensítico YS1200 es el más adecuado. DISCUSIÓN Y CONCLUSIONES. El material determinado tiene gran potencial en la fabricación de estructuras del vehículo, es relativamente económico y ligero, y con la tecnología adecuada es posible su implementación.

Bɪ-CомDᴇт: Community Detection in Bipartite Networks

Extracting hidden communities from bipartite networks witnessed a determined effort. In this respect, different streams of research relied on bipartite networks to unveil communities. In this paper, we introduce a new approach, called Bi-Comdet, that aims to an efficient community detection in bipartite networks. The main trust of the introduced approach is that it stresses on the importance of grouping two types of nodes in communities having a full connection between its nodes. The quality of the unveiled communities, is assessed through some metrics borrowed from the FCA community, to wit modularity, overlapping and stability. These metrics are then aggregated through the use of multi-criteria method to elect the most pertinent bi-comunity from some candidates. Carried out experiments show that Bi-ComDet sharply outperforms its competitors in terms of modularity, Conductance and intra/inter density.

Selection of materials by multi-criteria methods applied to the side of a self-supporting structure for light vehicles

The selection of materials is an important stage in the design and development of products, but considering the enormous amount of materials available on the market that have different properties and characteristics, defining suitable and ideal alternatives is a difficult task. Within the automotive area there is a tendency to develop vehicles with greater efficiency and capacity, keeping aside the economic implications without underestimating the functionality of the materials. The use of multi-criteria methods (MCDM) allows the establishment of a reliable selection methodology, due to the interaction between each of the criteria with statistical methods that converge in a single solution. The methodology used in this study was based on the application of MCDM methods, and the comparison between them to determine a convergence in the alternatives of greater potential for the structural section of vehicles. Four methods were evaluated: TOPSIS, COPRAS, VIKOR, PROMETHEE II, obtaining that for all the methods the best material corresponds to the Martensitic Steel YS1200, being this the most appropriate one when fulfilling structural requirements, as well as providing a reduction of weight and price.

Métodos multicriterio aplicados en la selección de un material para discos de freno

La selección de material para un componente automotor es un proceso complejo, porque implica una exploración de los principales criterios de acuerdo con las propiedades exigidas por el componente a diseñar. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar un material alterno en la fabricación de un disco de freno en vehículos livianos tipo SUV, a partir de los métodos multicriterio; para lo cual se toman en consideración cinco materiales candidatos para la aplicación deseada (Ti6Al4V, Al10Si C, AISI 304L, ASTM A 536 y ASTM A48). Los métodos multicriterio (MCDM) empleados son: VIKOR – la optimización multidisciplinar y solución de compromiso; ELECTRE I – eliminación y opciones que reflejan la realidad; COPRAS – evaluación compleja proporcional; ARAS – evaluación de relación de aditivos; MOORA – optimización multiobjetivo basado en el análisis de radios y el método ENTROPÍA que se emplea para la ponderación de los criterios. Se obtiene que la mejor alternativa es el material ASTM A536 según los métodos COPRAS, ELECTRE I, y ARAS por su baja densidad, un alto límite elástico y una buena resistencia a la compresión; en segunda opción es el ASTM A48 según VIKOR y MOORA.

Decision sciences in the management of water resources: multi-criteria methods and game theory applied to the field of sanitation

Due to the complexity of some managerial problems, especially those related to sanitation, academic studies have shown the need to use appropriate methods to assist in this type of decision. Within this context, this research aimed to provide a review of the literature from the field of decision sciences to the field of water resource management. It was identified in this study that the use of multi-criteria methods, including Analytical Hierarchy Process, Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical based Evaluation Technique, Multiattribute Utility Theory, Elimination et Choice Traduisant la Realité, Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations, Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution, and game theory, including cooperative and non-cooperative bargaining games, are useful for creation and comparison of scenarios, reducing the time needed to reach a solution for complex problems involving a large number of criteria and agents. It also demonstrated the benefits of creating greater transparency in the decision-making process, thus increasing the potential for a solution acceptable to all the parties involved. Although still little explored, discussions of sanitation problems can and should be enhanced with the use of techniques and methods of decision sciences, and multi-criteria and game theory techniques are particularly suitable for this task.

Support of mining investment choice decisions with the use of multi-criteria method

The article presents the use of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method for the support of decisions regarding the choice of mining investment. The mining investment, as understood in the analysis conducted in the article is an acquisition of a plant mining zinc and lead ore together with the processing plant producing concentrates of these metals as well as the deposits potentially viable for mining. The subject of analysis consisted of 11 polymetallic ore deposits with different degrees of utilization and mining infrastructure which could be a subject of investment activities in Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Macedonia.In order to choose the best investment solution, a hierarchic model was built which took into account 5 main criteria and 15 partial criteria. These included in particular quantitative criteria, due to which the degree of subjectivism has been reduced. The main criteria included: geological and mining conditions, technical condition of the mining infrastructure, influence of the conducted mining activity on the environment, capital expenditure for particular stages of the investment and finally – social and political background which described the investment risk.The assessment of influence of the mining plant on the environment was conducted using the influence matrix, so called Leopold's matrix. The method allowed for identifying influences which affected the environment's components and simultaneously permitted to quantify the degree of this influence.For each criterion, accordingly to the AHP method's principles, weights (priorities) have been calculated. The weights were then used for construction of aggregating indicators. The choice of the best investment solution was obtained thanks to the use of an aggregating indicator which is a measure of assessment of particular polymetallic ore deposits. The indicators were the base for creating a rating for the mining objects from the point of view of assessment for the investor's needs.