Decision support model for the selection of asphalt wearing courses in highly trafficked roads

The suitable choice of the materials forming the wearing course of highly trafficked roads is a delicate task because of their direct interaction with vehicles. Furthermore, modern roads must be planned according to sustainable development goals, which is complex because some of these might be in conflict. Under this premise, this paper develops a multi-criteria decision support model based on the analytic hierarchy process and the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution to facilitate the selection of wearing courses in European countries. Variables were modelled using either fuzzy logic or Monte Carlo methods, depending on their nature. The views of a panel of experts on the problem were collected and processed using the generalized reduced gradient algorithm and a distance-based aggregation approach. The results showed a clear preponderance by stone mastic asphalt over the remaining alternatives in different scenarios evaluated through sensitivity analysis. The research leading to these results was framed in the European FP7 Project DURABROADS (No. 605404).The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under Grant Agreement No. 605404

Farming Differentiation in the Rural-urban Interface of the Middle Mountains, Nepal: Application of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)Modeling

This article investigates the dominant factors of farming differentiation in the rural-urban interface of the densely populated Kathmandu Valley, using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) modeling. The rural-urban interface in the Kathmandu Valley is an important vegetable production pocket which supplies a large amount of the vegetables in the city core. While subsistence farming in the rural area is characterized by a system which integrates livestock and forestry with agriculture, the intensification in the urban fringe is characterized by triple crop rotations and market-oriented intensive vegetable production. Seven factors which were supposed to cause farming variation in the interface were incorporated in the AHP framework and then subjected to the farmers’ judgment in distinctly delineated three farming zones. These factors played crucial yet differing roles in different farming zones. Inaccessibility and use of local resources; higher yield and accessibility and agro-ecological consideration and quality production are the key impacting factors of subsistence, commercial inorganic and smallholder organic farming respectively. The quantification of such factors of farming differentiation through AHP is an important piece of information that will contribute in modeling farming in the rural-urban interface of developing countries which are characterized by a high diversity of farming practices and are undergoing a rapid change in the land use pattern

INTEGRATION OF MULTICRITERIA ANALYSIS INTO DECISION SUPPORT CONCEPT FOR URBAN ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT

Urban road infrastructure management deals with complex decision making process. There are several reasons for a complexity such as: multi-disciplinarity, lots of participants, huge quantity of information, limited budget, conflict goals and criteria. These facts indicate that decision making processes in urban road infrastructure management belong to ill-defined problems. In order to cope with such complexity and to help managers during decision making processes this research proposes an application of multicriteria methods. Therefore, a generic concept of decision support for urban road infrastructure management based on multicriteria analysis is proposed. Three multicriteria methods: AHP, SAW and PROMETHHE, in a combination with 0-1 programming are used. The main advantage of an application of multicriteria analysis is that all stakeholders could be objectively included into decision process. Therefore, setting up of criteria weights involves opinions from all stakeholders’ groups (stakeholders are divided into three characteristic groups). Evaluation of criteria importance (weights) is based on three sets of opinions processed by Analytic Hierarchic Processing (AHP) method. Three sets of criteria are then processed by Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method resulting in a final set of criteria weights. By using SAW method, relative importance of opinions of all three stakeholders’ groups is introduced. Collected data are then processed by PROMETHEE multicriteria methods. Proposed decision support concept is validated on the problem of improvement of one part of an urban road infrastructure system for a large urban area of town of Split. The concept is efficiently applied on several problems regarding parking garages: location selection, sub-project ranking, definition of an investment strategy

Development of Sidewalk Block Pavement Condition Index (SBPCI) using Analytical Hierarchy Process

This study aimed at developing SBPCI (Sidewalk Block Pavement Condition Index) with sidewalk pavement condition survey data of Seoul city in order to attain a quantitative evaluation method of sidewalk pavement condition. The distress patterns of sidewalk pavement were classified into four groups of Crack/Loss, Roughness, Aging, and Corner Break. AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) technique was employed on the basis of the raking process of 31 pavement managers in order to analyze the influence of the distress patterns on the sidewalk pavement condition. The AHP analysis result indicated the weight of pop out, roughness, surface abrasion, and corner break were 0.521, 0.244, 0.164, and 0.070, respectively, by distress type. A model equation was derived by using the sidewalk pavement condition data from 420 sections. The correlation analysis between the result of the model equation and distress type revealed that the correlation of corner break was low to be excluded from SBPCI model; while pop out, roughness, and surface abrasion were statistically significant to be used as three variables of the developed SBPCI model

Development Of Planning Support System For Urban Rehabilitation And Reconstruction In Case Sidoarjo Mud Flow Post Disaster

Sidoarjo mud disaster impact that has lasted more than 3 years are very influential on other aspects of life in Porong and surrounding areas. The need for information systems that can inform the public about the catastrophic conditions is absolutely necessary. In previous research has established a disaster management information system that is treated with the approach to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) consisting of the phases of mitigation, evacuation and warning his own. Mitigation system that was built covering the field of catastrophe risk modeling using network analysis, mapping mudguard embankment area, information about alternative routes and other public facilities information. Evacuation system provides information on areas that can be used as an evacuation site if a disaster occurs, such as health centers and referral hospitals and information about the stages of evacuation if the disaster occurs. Early warning system that allows agencies related to the Sidoarjo Mud Mitigation Agency (BPLS) provide information directly via WEB and SMS that can be accessed by the public via the WEB and SMS. Mitigation system that was built covering the field of catastrophe risk modeling using network analysis, mapping mudguard embankment area, information about alternative routes and other public facilities information. Evacuation system provides information on areas that can be used as an evacuation site if a disaster occurs, such as health centers and referral hospitals and information about the stages of evacuation if the disaster occurs. Early warning system that allows agencies related to the Sidoarjo Mud Mitigation Agency (BPLS) provide information directly via WEB and SMS that can be accessed by the public via the WEB and SMS. Mitigation system that was built covering the field of catastrophe risk modeling using network analysis, mapping mudguard embankment area, information about alternative routes and other public facilities information. Evacuation system provides information on areas that can be used as an evacuation site if a disaster occurs, such as health centers and referral hospitals and information about the stages of evacuation if the disaster occurs. Early warning system that allows agencies related to the Sidoarjo Mud Mitigation Agency (BPLS) provide information directly via WEB and SMS that can be accessed by the public via the WEB and SMS. The next stage is the stage of recovery. To that end, the research platform designed with integrated GIS Decision Systems (DSS) for regional development planning. Platform that includes a planned relocation of the transportation system and the relocation industry. Relocation of industrial zones by the method of analytical hierarchy process to produce recommendations relocate industrial park. Modeling facility relocation alternative transport route network transformation results

Rheological Properties of Modified Crumb Rubber Asphalt Binder and Selecting the Best Modified Binder Using AHP Method

Crumb rubber modifier (CRM) is one of the most popular asphalt binder modifiers due to the economic benefits and desired physical and rheological properties of asphalt binders and asphalt mixes. This research focuses on evaluating the properties of rubber-modified asphalt binders and selecting the best modified binder. The modified binders were produced by blending virgin binders with CRM at various contents of different gradations, and different methods of grinding. CRM made through ambient and cryogenic grinding methods with two gradation sizes were produced and tested. Three different virgin binders from two sources were obtained and used. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used to determine the best combination of virgin binder and CRM, based on the rheological properties and their importance in Nevada’s construction code. Based on AHP analysis, ambient CRM obtained the highest priority. CRM contents of 10% and 15% were ranked higher than 20% depending on the grade of the virgin binder. Both mesh 20 and 40 CRM sizes were favorable

From Traditional to Electrified Urban Road Networks: The Integration of Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process and GIS as a Tool to Define a Feasibility Index—An Italian Case Study

To achieve sustainable development in the road sector, the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs) appears as a positive response to transport emissions. Among the available technologies, dynamic charging seems to overcome the main weakness points of EVs, even if it requires that traditional roads (t-roads) be equipped with a system providing electricity for EVs. Thus, so-called electrified roads (e-roads) must be implemented into the urban road networks. Since it is not possible to electrify all roads simultaneously, and also to consider the demand needs of citizens, a selection criterion is essential. This research describes and develops a simple, self-explanatory, repeatable, and adaptable selection criterion aimed at helping city managers in prioritizing the roads of an urban network to be upgraded from t-road to e-road status. This method belongs to the so-called Multicriteria Spatial Decision Support Systems (MC SDSS)—processes useful for solving spatial problems through the integration of multicriteria analysis (Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process, F-AHP) with a geo referenced data management and analysis tool (GIS). The developed algorithm is based on several criteria related to the infrastructure/transport, social and environmental areas. The result of the implemented method is a Feasibility Index (FI), able to prioritize the roads most eligible to be upgraded as e-roads, as also verified by its application on the urban area of Milan (Italy)