Multicriteria decision support systems in engineering planning and management

摘要

The planning and management of engineering systems requires the integration of often very large volumes of disparate information from numerous sources; the coupling of this information with efficient tools for assessment and evaluation allow broad, interactive participation in the planning, assessment, and decision making process; and effective methods of communicating results and findings to a broad audience. Information technology, and in particular, the integration of data base management systems, and multi-criteria optimization models, provide some of the tools for effective decision support. The objective of the computer based decision support system proposed in this research is to improve planning and management through decision making processes by providing useful and scientifically sound information to the actors involved in these processes, including public officials, planners and scientists, and the general public. The Multicriteria Decision Support System uses the Compromise programming as Decision support tool that involves both rather descriptive information systems as well as more formal normative, prescriptive optimization approaches. The case of building life cycle is used as an example. A simplified example is used revolving around a choice between alternatives. The alternatives are analyzed and ultimately ranked according to a number of economic and environmental criteria by which they can be compared; these criteria are checked against the objectives and constraints (our expectations), involving possible trade-offs between conflicting objectives.