Strategic model for location selection of solar wood drying by applying TOPSIS

The location of solar wood drying has not been selected in Iran yet. One of important applications of solar energy is to manufacture solar wood drying units. Effective indicators in location of solar wood drying were identified and a hierarchy was constructed based on five major groups of criteria. The weights of the indicators were then established by Analytical Hierarchy Process. The amounts of the indicators with regard to provinces were obtained from wood drying factories in public and private sectors. These weights were employed in TOPSIS to rank the provinces. Finally the potential provinces were identified according to the priorities obtained by this technique. The results showed that Qom Province, has the best priorities for establishment of solar wood drying

A socio-economic problem regarding poplar plantation and a problem solving model by AHP

The current research presents the best solution for socio-economic problem regarding poplar plantation in Eastern and Western Azerbaijan, Iran. Planting fast growing species such as poplar is highly profitable in wood farming in Eastern and Western Azerbaijan, hence identification of socio-economic qualifications of poplar plantation would solve the problems of wood and paper industries regarding wood supply in the coming decade. Assuming previous researches and visiting poplar plantation surfaces in the so-called provinces, 51 sub-criteria were identified. These sub-criteria were categorized in five major groups: application, economic and financial, social and cultural, technical, and infrastructure. The priority and weight of the criteria and sub-criteria were determined through survey the experts and poplar farmers in wood and paper industries and poplar plantation. The findings revealed that economic and financial aspects are the most important criteria, and the sub-criteria of pre-purchase contract, water sources, and improved species have the highest priorities, respectively. For selecting the best optimized solution in the provinces, three groups of alternatives were selected: poplar farmer promotion and education using national and foreign experts, offering multiple facilities, and increasing the participation of wood and paper industries and investors with respect to poplar farmers’ problems. To select the best solution, a questionnaire was designed and administered among the experts, and then evaluated considering the sub-criteria. The results of synthesizing by AHP and Expert Choice software indicated that polar farmer promotion and education through national and foreign experts’ contribution is the best solution for providing proper situation of poplar plantation in the area and consumption of wood and paper industries. The result of sensitivity analysis indicated that economic & financial, technical and structural criteria are more sensitive when affect the solutions

Location selection of agricultural-residuals particleboard industry through group decision: The case study of northern Iran

This paper presents a framework for locating agricultural-residuals particleboard industry in the northern provinces of Iran. Particleboard industry is the only Iranian wood and paper industry with an export potential and the use of agricultural residuals as the raw material can help with increasing the production in this industry, while reducing the damage to forest resources. The northern provinces of Iran are agricultural centers with ample amounts of agricultural residues. These provinces are, therefore, preferable to other provinces as the construction sites of particleboard plants. In the location selection model presented in this paper, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method is used and the results indicate that the criterion of ‘material and production’ and the sub-criterion of ‘reliability of supply’ have the highest priorities, and that Golestan province is the best alternative

Readability index of essays as an alternative to the scoring procedure in L2 academic writing

Samples of participants’ writing were scored by two raters using TOEFL writing scoring rubric. The readability index of each text was calculated through the use of six readability formulae and graphs, i.e., Flesch-Kincaid index, Reading Ease index, FOG index, SMOG formula, Fry’s graph, and Dale-Chall readability index. The scores given to each essay were later compared to the obtained readability indices through the use of Spearman rho correlation coefficient formula. The correlation coefficients obtained ranged from .05 to .15, none of which significant. This indicates that readability index of a text and the writing assessment procedure through holistic rubrics are dealing with two different constructs and have very little in common. This also calls into question the reliability and validity of some computerized assessment programs such as PEG, LSA, or E-rater, which take into account factors very similar to those examined in readability formulae.

Determining effective criteria on sustainable development of fluting paper making industry

Fluting paper industry seems to be significant from environmental view point. Accordingly, study on sustainable development criteria in this sector of Iran’s industry is regarded as a national necessity. The intent of the current study is to determine and prioritize the indices affecting sustainable development of Iran’s fluting paper industry by benefiting from Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. After the conducted investigations, 55 indices were identified and categories in eight general groups namely, technical & human, cultural-social, economic, materials & products, rules and regulations, environmental, infrastructure and sale & marketing . Analytical Hierarchy Process was applied in the form of adjusting and distributing questionnaires among professional experts. Results show that the highest priorities for attaining sustainable development in this industry respectively belong to sub-criteria of economic stability increase in the country, a continuous relation between university and industry, privatization, training man force, paper recycling, foreign investment, increasing productivity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions

A quantitative study of poplar plantation situation in four Iran provinces

Poplars, a fast-growing species, enjoy a high significance in Iran’s industry. So far, information on poplar plantation, such as area, volume, and harvest, has been obtained by non-scientific and poor methods. A few studies have been conducted to recognize capability of poplar plantation about area, volume, harvest, distribution, and species in three high efficient provinces, i.e., Eastern/ Azerbaijan, Zanjan, Kermanshah, and Ardabil. A  Cluster sampling a standard sampling method for conducting similar researches was selected, consisting of two phases. In the first phase we collected library information and half-open interview from villagers. In the second phase field measurement in the villages of these four provinces was considered. Obtained information from field measurement was erected poplar volume, cultivated poplar area, prevalent species and estimating volume via volume and weight tables. Results obtained from the present study indicate that average annual utilization volume of four provinces was 172628.84 m3, with an average error of 14.19 percent

Developing a Rating Model for Selection Solar Wood Drying Location

AbstractSolar energy is one of the free and clean sources of energy supply without any destructive influence on the environment. Solar energy has been used in different forms for a long time. Concentrators of solar radiation can be used to produce unlimited, clean and free energy and save fossil fuels considerably. One of important applications of solar energy is to manufacture solar wood drying units. Iran has been located in an appropriate situation in the world with respect to receiving solar energy. The aim of the present paper is to propose a multicriteria methodological approach based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) useful for the "Determination of Effective Criteria on Site Selection for Solar Wood Drying Units in Iran". The methodological approach is divided in 3 steps. In first step experts of kiln wood drying were interviewed for preliminary investigation. In the second step, hierarchy of criteria was designed and weighing values of them were calculated by Analytic Hierarchy Process. Finally, in the third step, model was used rating for prioritizing capable provinces. Results showed that Qom province, with average temperature, has the highest priority as a criterion and alternative

Evaluation of Sustainable Development of Wooden Furniture Industry Using Multi criteria Decision Making Method

Abstract Furniture manufacturing industry seems to be significant not only from economical and social standpoints but also from perspective of environmentally compatible industries. Accordingly, moving toward sustainable development in this sector of Iran's industry is regarded as a national necessity. The intent of the current study is to determine and prioritize the indices affecting sustainable development of Iran's wooden furniture industry by benefiting from Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. After the conducted investigations, 39 indices were identified and categories in seven general groups namely, technical, human, cultural-social, economic, materials and products, rules and regulations, and environmental. Subsequently, Analytical Hierarchy Process was applied in the form of adjusting and distributing questionnaires among professional experts. Results show that the highest priorities for attaining sustainable development in this industry respectively belong to sub-criteria of economic stability increase in the country, development of furniture industrial clusters, adjustment of furniture and wooden products importation tariffs, reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOC), marketing, reinforcement of unions, and creation of competitive environment in this industry