Application of the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process in multi-criteria decision in noise action plans : prioritizing road stretches

Ruiz-Padillo, A; Torija Martinez, AJ; Ramos-Ridao, A; Ruiz, DP

Abstract

Traffic noise is one of the major environmental impacts of road infrastructures. Critical study of published
Noise Action Plans (NAP) signals a widespread lack of objective criteria and methodologies for prioritizing
actions against noise as well as the suitability of solutions. The present paper develops a methodology
to sort, by priority, road stretches included in a NAP. In obtaining and allocating weights to
variables involved in the decision-making problem (“Road Stretch Priority Variables”) to define a
normalized numerical index (“Road Stretch Priority Index”), Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP)
with two different defuzzification methods is applied to the results of an expert panel. Comparison of the
outcomes of both FAHP versions, plus analysis of the results of a case study, enables to determine the
relative influence of these variables in the problem. An objective and reasoned methodology for the
prioritized classification of road stretches according to noise problems is thereby validated.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 10, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Mar 24, 2016
• Publication Date: Mar 24, 2016
• Deposit Date: Dec 2, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 2, 2019
• Journal: Environmental Modelling & Software
• Print ISSN: 1364-8152
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Volume: 81
• Pages: 45-55
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2016.03.009
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2016.03.009
• Related Public URLs: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/environmental-modelling-and-software
• Additional Information: Funders : “Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” of Spain;University of Malaga and the European Commission, seventh Framework Programme for R & D of the EU, granted within the People Programme, “Co-funding of Regional, National and International Programmes” (COFUND),;“Direcci�on General de Infraestructuras de la Consejería de Fomento y Vivienda” of the “Junta de Andalucía” (Spain); Grant Number: TEC2012-38883-C02-02.; Grant Number: Agreement Grant no. 246550; Grant Number: COFUND2013-40259