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The aim of this research is to address the challenge of transforming car-oriented industrial parks into pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly environments. Through the implementation of a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach, the study aims to evaluate alternative pathway connections and assess their potential impact on bicycle and pedestrian traffic volumes. By enhancing the connectivity of the cycling pathway network, the research seeks to demonstrate the potential for substantial increases in cycling and walking within industrial zones. This research leverages a multi-criteria decision-making framework, specifically the ARAS-G method, and integrates geographic information system analysis alongside Python scripting to project future bicycle usage and assess alternative pathway connections. The study underscores the potential for substantial increases in cycling and walking by augmenting the connectivity of the cycling pathway network. The findings hold practical significance for urban planners and industrial zone developers, advocating a holistic approach to sustainable transportation. The research contributes a comprehensive set of criteria encompassing connectivity, safety, accessibility, efficiency, integration within the urban fabric, and cost-effectiveness to evaluate sustainability and prioritize actions and measures for reestablishing industrial zones as bicycle-friendly spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study optimizes the sustainable implementation of light wood-framed buildings in the Nordic region using multi-criteria decision-making. Integrating prefabrication, transportation logistics, and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods enhances cost efficiency, time savings, and quality assurance. Significant international and local impact promotes sustainable construction practices. Strong promotion fosters industry-wide adoption. The presented framework enables stakeholders to make informed decisions, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of building implementation processes and fostering sustainable development in the construction industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sustainable economic development, top-level human capital, especially project management, is paramount. This article integrates the Systematic Hierarchical Attribute Ratio Delphic Rating (SHARDA) method and the Additive Ratio Rating (ARAS) method as a robust framework for identifying and training project managers. The research draws on a diverse panel of experts against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) backdrop, emphasising stakeholder engagement and transparency in the decision-making processes. This study investigates the complexity of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods and focuses on SWARA and ARAS methods. These methodologies comprehensively improve the decision-making process, considering a range of subjective criteria. The extended and modified hierarchical SWARA method helps us understand each measure's importance, while the ARAS method simplifies ranking and selection based on performance ratios. The research methodology seamlessly integrates these methods to form the SHARDA–ARAS methodology that addresses the challenging task of selecting project managers for sustainable development. This methodology guarantees a systematic and inclusive decision-making process, incorporating stakeholder perspectives seamlessly aligned with global sustainability goals. The studio's innovation is wrapped in the synthesis of SWARA and ARAS into the SHARDA–ARAS methodology, presenting a nuanced and effective tool for project manager selection. Promoting an interconnected and holistic approach that contributes to sustainable development emphasises the methodology's ability to balance economic, environmental, and social aspects. Thus, the article provides an invaluable method for organisations seeking global sustainable economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the help of commercialization, inventions become marketable commodities that find new ways of solving problems. Turning technology into reality requires an excellent understanding of the development process from idea to market of the technology. The primary purpose of this article was to examine the commercialization process of inventions and divide the commercialization process into stages that culminate in decision points. Opinions of different authors and representatives of R&D organizations were compared concerning the content of technology commercialization, which is understood and named differently in the scientific and practical literature. Later, with the help of two groups of experts from the US and Germany, the importance of key decision points was determined. The research results were summarized using the MCDM method: the integrated Fuzzy Delphic–Eckenrode Likert-type Scale-based Rating Technique (FDELSRT). The results of this study can be applied in practice to making strategic decisions related to the allocation of efforts, limited time, and financial resources based on the determined importance of key decision points. Research in different countries and the comparison of results will identify areas and opportunities for further mutual learning and more intensive, mutually beneficial international cooperation in technology development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relatively recently, internal communication received little attention from theorists, since they focused on external communication. The importance of internal communication is seen as the taker of responsibility for all internal exchanges of information between internal stakeholders at all levels. However, interdisciplinary cooperation in terms of internal communication is a significant issue for any organization running the R&D process. Different studies have already revealed strong links between communication and R&D success, but a lack of research continuity is visible, especially one relevant in practice. This article examines communication in the R&D process through the prism of decision making. It aims to take experience from R&D experts to supplement a list of decision-making methods used in the R&D process, which is compiled based on literature analysis. In the next stage of the investigation, the list of decision-making methods is used to determine the weights of the methods, which reflect the suitability of the decision-making methods in the R&D process. In the final stage of the investigation, differences in the evaluations of the US and German experts are presented, reflecting different experiences and differences in the conditions of the business environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To turn technologies into successful products, it is necessary to understand the development process from ideas to the market and to know how to measure performance. Performance measurement is critical for technology developers and investors in monitoring whether performance meets expectations to make decisions about actions for improving R&D characteristics. This article emphasizes indicators for R&D project performance measurement, especially relevant for measuring project performance in company, start-up and spin-off companies, where the project is perceived as an independent business unit. A clear set of indicators for measuring and controlling the performance of R&D projects for policy representatives would allow them to identify problematic areas in the implementation of R&D projects and to make well-aimed decisions for the promotion and financing of technology development. What indicators should be used to measure the performance of R&D projects? Attempts to find the answer to the question in science were unsuccessful. This article aims to select indicators for measuring the performance of R&D projects and identify and compare their relevance among US and German experts. Research is carried out in different countries, and their results create opportunities for mutual learning and more intensive international cooperation in technological development. In order to achieve a goal, essential decision-making points in R&D projects were identified, and a general set of R&D performance evaluation indicators were prepared based on a literature analysis. Later, two groups of experts from the US and Germany selected from the general list indicators suitable only for evaluating R&D projects and evaluated their relevance. The obtained evaluation results of the US and German experts were processed using the MCDM method and compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of production, consumption, and final disposal of electrical and electronic equipment usually leads to harmful waste to the environment called e-waste. Eliminating and decreasing this type of waste could be considered as an essential goal for many enterprises working toward sustainable management systems. In this paper, we aim at introducing a new methodology for evaluation of sustainable e-waste management scenarios. The evaluation is defined as an MCDM (Multi-Criteria Decision-Making) problem, and the scenarios are the alternatives of the problem that need to be evaluated with respect to several sustainability criteria. An extended fuzzy SECA (Simultaneous Evaluation of Criteria and Alternatives) integrated with SMART (Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique), named F-SECA, is proposed to deal with the evaluation process. The α-cut approach is used to consider different levels of uncertainty and obtain interval values for assessment of criteria and alternatives. The proposed methodology helps us to make the evaluation with incorporation of subjective and objective data, opinions of multiple experts and uncertainty of information. We applied the methodology to evaluate sustainable e-waste management scenarios in a case. Through comparative and sensitivity analyses, the paper shows that the proposed methodology is efficient and gives reliable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a popular idea that technology-development success depends on some creative magic, but leaders contradict the assertion that innovation is a process that can be perfected. Turning technology into reality requires an excellent understanding of the development process from idea to market. The technology commercialization process is broken down into phases in which vital decision-making points exist. In the scientific literature, which examines and analyzes the process of technology development and its problems, there is a variety of views and opinions related to the concepts used to define this process and its content. These motives led to the formulation of the first objective of this article: to analyze technology-development models studied by different researchers and used by different reliable organizations. The second objective is to determine the content of the technology-development process and processes that are alternative or related to the content of the technology-development process, in this way elucidate the differences and interfaces between these models and the vital decision-making points. There are many vital decision-making points in the early stage of technology development. However, only one point—identification of commercial opportunities, determines whether technology will reach other vital decision points. Based on the results of this identification, large-scale investments are made. The decision made at this stage determines whether or not a project will have a successful return on investment. However, the specifics of the different technology industries are apparent, and these differences may affect the identification of commercial opportunities. The article also sought to reveal the specifics of commercialization for different technology industries. The research uses the integrated fuzzy Delphic-Eckenrode Likert-type scale-based rating technique for grey numbers to gather expert opinions and determine the weights of factors. The research results show the differences in identifying commercial opportunities for mechatronics, laser, and nanoelectronic technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy-makers should focus on solar energy due to the increasing energy demand and adverse consequences such as global warming. Conflicting criteria influence choosing the most desirable place to construct a Solar Power Plant (SPP). Researchers have popularized multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) methods because of the potential. Although the simultaneous use of several methods increases the robustness and accuracy of the results, existing methods to integrate MCDM methods mainly consider the same weight for all methods and utilize the alternatives ranking for the final comparison. This paper presents a hybrid decision-making framework to determine the best location for SPPs in Iran using a set of criteria extracted from the literature and expert opinions. An initial list of decision-making alternatives is prepared and evaluated using GIS software in terms of criteria. Decision-makers prioritized the identified alternatives using the MCDM methods, including SWARA and different ranking methods (TOPSIS, TODIM, WASPAS, COPRAS, ARAS, and MULTIMOORA). Finally, the CCSD method aggregates the results and identifies the best location. Results highly correlate with the results of previous methods and demonstrate the robustness of the proposed approach and its capability to overcome the limitations of previous methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selection of appropriate subcontractors for outsourcing is very important for the success of construction projects. This can improve the overall quality of projects and promote the qualification and reputation of the main contractors. The evaluation of subcontractors can be made by some experts or decision-makers with respect to some criteria. If this process is done in different time periods, it can be defined as a dynamic multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) problem. In this study, we propose a new fuzzy dynamic MCGDM approach based on the EDAS (Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution) method for subcontractor evaluation. In the procedure of the proposed approach, the sets of alternatives, criteria and decision-makers can be changed at different time periods. Also, the proposed approach gives more weight to newer decision information for aggregating the overall performance of alternatives. A numerical example is used to illustrate the proposed approach and show the application of it in subcontractor evaluation. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach is efficient and useful in real-world decision-making problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beginning of the 21st-century resulted in a more developed multi-attribute decisionmaking (MADM) tool and inspired new application areas that have resulted in discoveries in sustainable construction and building life cycle analysis. Construction and civil engineering stand for the central axis of a body consisting of a multidisciplinary (multi-dimensional) world with ties to disciplines constituting the surface, and with the disciplines, as a consequence, tied to each other. When dealing with multi-attribute decision-making problems generally multiple solutions exist, especially when there is a large number of attributes, and the concept of Pareto-optimality is inefficient. The symmetry and structural regularity are essential concepts in many natural and man-made objects and play a crucial role in the design, engineering, and development of the world. The complexity and risks inherent in projects along with different effective indicators for success and failure may contribute to the difficulties in performance evaluation. In such situations, increasing the importance of uncertainty is observed. This paper proposes a novel integrated tool to find a balance between sustainable development, environmental impact and human well-being, i.e., to find symmetry axe with respect to goals, risks, and constraints (attributes) to cope with the complicated problems. The concept of "optimal solution" as the maximum degree of implemented goals (attributes) is very important. The model is built using the most relevant variables cited in the reviewed project literature and integrates two methods: the Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) method and a novel interval-valued fuzzy extension of the Additive Ratio Assessment (ARAS) method. This model was used to solve real case study of oil and gas well drilling projects evaluation. Despite the importance of oil and gas well drilling projects, there is lack of literature that describes and evaluates performance in this field projects. On the other hand, no structured assessment methodology has been presented for these types of projects. Given the limited research on performance evaluation in oil & gas well-drilling projects, the research identifies a set of performance criteria and proposes an evaluation model using fuzzy Delphi method. An illustrative example shows that the proposed method is a useful and alternative decision-making method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present a new extension of the Integrated Simple Weighted Sum-Product (WISP) method, adapted for intuitionistic numbers. The extension takes advantage of intuitionistic fuzzy sets for solving complex decision-making problems. The example of contractor selection demonstrates the use of the proposed extension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry is a vital part of the modern economic system. Construction work often has significant negative impacts on the environment and sustainable economic development, such as degradation of the environment, depletion of resources, and waste generation. Therefore, environmental concerns must be taken into account when evaluating and making decisions in the construction industry. In this regard, sustainable construction is considered as the best way to avoid resource depletion and address environmental concerns. Selection of sustainable building materials is an important strategy in sustainable construction that plays an important role in the design and construction phase of buildings. The assessment of experts is one of the most important steps in the material selection process, and their subjective judgment can lead to unpredictable uncertainty. The existing methods cannot effectively demonstrate and address uncertainty. This paper proposes an integrated Dempster-Shafer (DS) theory of evidence and the ARAS method for selecting sustainable materials under uncertainty. The Dempster-Shafer Evidence Theory is a relatively new and appropriate tool for substantiating decisions when information is nonspecific, ambiguous, or conflicting. The Additive Ratio Assessment (ARAS) method has many advantages to deal with MCDM problems with non-commensurable and even conflicting criteria and to obtain the priority of alternatives based on the utility function. The proposed method converts experts' opinions into the basic probability assignments for real alternatives, which are suitable for DS evidence theory. It uses the ARAS method to obtain final estimation results. Finally, a real case study identifying the priority of using five possible alternative building materials demonstrates the usefulness of the proposed approach in addressing the challenges of sustainable construction. Four main criteria including economic, social, environmental, and technical criteria and 25 sub-criteria were considered for the selection of sustainable materials. The specific case study using the proposed method reveals that the weight of economic, socio-cultural, environmental, and technical criteria are equal to 0.327, 0.209, 0.241, and 0.221, respectively. Based on these results, economic and environmental criteria are determined as the most important criteria. The results of applying the proposed method reveal that aluminum siding with a final score of 0.538, clay brick with a score of 0.494, and stone façade with a final score of 0.482 are determined as the best alternatives in terms of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special Issue covers symmetric and asymmetric data that occur in real-life problems. We invited authors to submit their theoretical or experimental research to present engineering and economic problem solution models that deal with symmetry or asymmetry of different data types. The Special Issue gained interest in the research community and received many submissions. After rigorous scientific evaluation by editors and reviewers, seventeen papers were accepted and published. The authors proposed different solution models, mainly covering uncertain data in multi-criteria decision-making problems as complex tools to balance the symmetry between goals, risks, and constraints to cope with the complicated problems in engineering or management. Therefore, we invite researchers interested in the topics to read the papers provided in the Special Issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In real estate, there are various variables for the forecasting of future land prices, in addition to the macro and micro perspectives used in the current research. Examples of such variables are the economic growth rate, unemployment rate, regional development and important locations, and transportation. Therefore, in this paper, data on real estate and national price fluctuation rates were used to predict the ways in which future land prices will fluctuate, and macro and micro perspective variables were actively utilized in order to conduct land analysis based on Big Data analysis. We sought to understand what kinds of variables directly affect the fluctuation of the land, and to use this for future land price analysis. In addition to the two variables mentioned above, the factor of the landscape was also confirmed to be closely related to the real estate market. Therefore, in order to check the correlation between the landscape and the real estate market, we will examine the factors which change the land price in the landscape district, and then discuss how the landscape and real estate can interact. As a result, re-explaining the previous contents, the future land price is predicted by actively utilizing macro and micro variables in real estate land price prediction. Through this method, we want to increase the accuracy of the real estate market, which is difficult to predict, and we hope that it will be useful in the real estate market in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The weights of criteria in multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problems are essential elements that can significantly affect the results. Accordingly, researchers developed and presented several methods to determine criteria weights. Weighting methods could be objective, subjective, and integrated. This study introduces a new method, called MEREC (MEthod based on the Removal Effects of Criteria), to determine criteria' objective weights. This method uses a novel idea for weighting criteria. After systematically introducing the method, we present some computational analyses to confirm the efficiency of the MEREC. Firstly, an illustrative example demonstrates the procedure of the MEREC for calculation of the weights of criteria. Secondly, a comparative analysis is presented through an example for validation of the introduced method's results. Additionally, we perform a simulation-based analysis to verify the reliability of MEREC and the stability of its results. The data of the MCDM problems generated for making this analysis follow a prevalent symmetric distribution (normal distribution). We compare the results of the MEREC with some other objective weighting methods in this analysis, and the analysis of means (ANOM) for variances shows the stability of its results. The conducted analyses demonstrate that the MEREC is efficient to determine objective weights of criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the past four decades, the methodology of fuzzy analytic hierarchy process based on fuzzy trapezoidal or triangular numbers with the linear type of membership functions has witnessed an expanding development with applicability to a wide variety of areas, such as industry, environment, education, government, economics, engineering, health, and smart city leadership. On the other hand, the interval gray analytic hierarchy process is a more practical method when a significant number of professionals have large variations in preferences and interests in complex decisions. The paper examines the management of architectural heritage in smart cities, using methods of multi-criteria decision making. Two appropriate methods generally recommended by the scientific literature have been applied: fuzzy and interval grey analytic hierarchy process. By using both techniques, there is an opportunity to analyze the consensual results from the aspect of two different stakeholder groups: architectural heritage experts and smart city development experts. Trapezoidal fuzzy analytical hierarchical process shows better stability than a triangular one. Both approaches assign priority to the strategy, but the interval approach gives a more significant rank to architectural heritage factors. The similarity of the proposed methods has been tested, and the similarity factor in the ranking indicates a high degree of similarity in comparing the reference rankings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a forward-looking approach that uses a multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) model as an assessment tool for risk identification. This study proposes an indifference threshold-based attribute ratio analysis and technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (ITARA-TOPSIS)-based assessment model to identify critical failure modes in products and systems. The improved indifference threshold-based attribute ratio analysis (ITARA) method can generate more reliable weights for risk factors. In addition, the modified technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) is used to obtain the risk levels of the failure modes. The gray correlation coefficient is applied to replace the conventional Euclidean distance, and a new index is used to determine the priority of failure modes. The determination of risk factors is based on the failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) theory, including severity, occurrence, and detection. An important indicator, the expected cost, is also included in the framework. The case of a steam turbine for a nuclear power plant is used to demonstrate the approach, and the analysis results show that the proposed model is practical and effective. Moreover, the advantages of our integrated model are illustrated through model comparisons and sensitivity analysis. This paper can help decision-makers, risk engineers, and related researchers to better understand how a systematic risk assessment can be conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monitoring and management of consistently changing landscape patterns are accomplished through a large amount of remote sensing data using satellite images and aerial photography that requires lossy compression for effective storage and transmission. Lossy compression brings the necessity to evaluate the image quality to preserve the important and detailed visual features of the data. We proposed and verified a weighted combination of qualitative parameters for the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework to evaluate the quality of the compressed aerial images. The aerial imagery of different contents and resolutions was tested using the transform-based lossy compression algorithms. We formulated an MCDM problem dedicated to the rating of lossy compression algorithms, governed by the set of qualitative parameters of the images and visually acceptable lossy compression ratios. We performed the lossy compression algorithms' ranking with different compression ratios by their suitability for the aerial images using the neutrosophic weighted aggregated sum product assessment (WASPAS) method. The novelty of our methodology is the use of a weighted combination of different qualitative parameters for lossy compression estimation to get a more precise evaluation of the effect of lossy compression on the image content. Our methodology includes means of solving different subtasks, either by altering the weights or the set of aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces quantile deviation l as a new sensitivity measure based on the difference between superquantile and subquantile. New global sensitivity indices based on the square of l are presented. The proposed sensitivity indices are compared with quantile-oriented sensitivity indices subordinated to contrasts and classical Sobol sensitivity indices. The comparison is performed in a case study using a non-linear mathematical function, the output of which represents the elastic resistance of a slender steel member under compression. The steel member has random imperfections that reduce its load-carrying capacity. The member length is a deterministic parameter that significantly changes the sensitivity of the output resistance to the random effects of input imperfections. The comparison of the results of three types of global sensitivity analyses shows the rationality of the new quantile-oriented sensitivity indices, which have good properties similar to classical Sobol indices. Sensitivity indices subordinated to contrasts are the least comprehensible because they exhibit the strongest interaction effects between inputs. However, using total indices, all three types of sensitivity analyses lead to approximately the same conclusions. The similarity of the results of two quantile-oriented and Sobol sensitivity analysis confirms that Sobol sensitivity analysis is empathetic to the structural reliability and that the variance is one of the important characteristics significantly influencing the low quantile of resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern, well-educated and experienced policy-makers support and promote the use of environmentally friendly materials and resources. The use of green resources is an exceptional and inevitable strategy to meet the needs of a rapidly growing Earth population. The growing population raises the need for new housing construction and urban infrastructure development. Such substances in construction refer to green building materials (GBMs). The environmental impact is lower if GBMs replace non-GBMs. Here, ranking among GBMs can facilitate and support the selection process. This study aimed to contribute to the body of knowledge to introduce a method for identifying and prioritizing GBMs in the construction industry to use in green building. The required data were collected using existing literature, interviews and questionnaires. Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the first criteria for assessing GBM selection criteria. Critical weighted GBM selection criteria are the second criteria for prioritizing GBMs. The results show that "Natural, Plentiful and Renewable", "Affordability from cradle to gate" and "Affordability during operation" are the top three GBM selection criteria. The real case study helped select "Stramit Strawboard", "Aluminium Composite Panels (ACPs)" and "Solar Roof Tiles" as the most suitable GBMs for use in the context of the study. The model and results presented in this study will help actors of the construction industry to select and use GBMs more quickly and thus achieve a better level of construction sustainability, as well as environmental friendliness, than before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People represent one of the most significant resources of an organization, and therefore, personnel selection is one of the problems that organizations have increasingly been facing. The criteria that influence the final decision are usually opposing, so the application of multiple-criteria decision-making methods (MCDM) represents a suitable way for the facilitation of the given process. Additionally, the decision environment is characterized by the vagueness and uncertainty and, because of that, it is very hard to express the criteria over the exact crisp numbers. To acknowledge the unpredictability and obscurity of the available information important for the selection of the optimal candidate, a hybrid grey MCDM model for personnel selection is proposed in this paper. As an extension of the PIPRECIA method, the novel Grey Pivot Pairwise Relative Criteria Importance Assessment—the PIPRECIA-G method—is proposed and used for the determination of criteria importance. The PIPRECIA-G method preserved the good features of the PIPRECIA, but its superiority is reflected in its ability to deal with input data that are vague and grey. For the final ranking of the considered alternative candidates, the OCRA-G method is used. Basing the decision process and candidate selection on the two grey extended MCDM methods contributes to the increase of the reliability and confidence in the performed selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symmetry is an international journal in the research fields of physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, computer science, theory and methods, and other scientific disciplines and engineering. The first paper was published in 2009. Here, we make a bibliometric analysis of publications in Symmetry from 2009 to 2019. According to Web of Science (WoS), we obtained 3215 publications in this journal. First, we explore the publications, citation number, and citation structure based on bibliometric indicators. Second, we analyze the most influential objects, including countries/regions, institutions, authors, and papers. Cooperation networks are also presented. Next, the co-citation and burst detection analyses are conducted according to the techniques of visualization tools, i.e., VOSviewer and CiteSpace. Furthermore, the co-occurrence analyses and timeline view analyses of keywords are investigated, aiming to explore the research hotspots. Finally, this paper provides relatively thorough perspectives and reviews and discloses the future development trend of this journal and challenges for scholars, which will promote the development of the journal and in-depth research of scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ground floors of buildings usually have high loads from racks and other storage equipment in industrial buildings and logistics centers. Such types of buildings commonly require lift trucks. Therefore, there are special requirements for flatness tolerance across and along the driving track of truck lifts. Structural design solutions must be optimized and sustainable. The article reviews the behavior of soils and the importance of the actual behavior assessment of soils during the design of the ground floor on the elastic subgrade. The behavior of the ground floor's areas above pile foundations that support the building's columns is essential. Calculation results show the impact of subgrade stiffness on the behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) floor slab, especially in areas above pile foundations, where the stiffness of subgrade is much higher. The research provides a solution to achieve the required level of settlement dissimilarity in areas where there are piles underneath a building slab under the columns. The paper proposes a new integrated method for the evaluation of the subgrade reaction coefficient above the pile cap. The proposed method optimizes design time and eliminates the need for specialized geotechnical software. Obtained results confirmed the efficiency of the proposed design method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable and efficient development is one of the most critical challenges facing modern society if it wants to save the world for future generations. Airports are an integral part of human activity. They need to be adapted to meet current and future sustainable needs and provide useful services to the public, taking into account prospects and requirements. Many performance criteria need to be assessed to address issues that often conflict with each other and have different units of measurement. The importance of the criteria to evaluate the effectiveness of alternatives varies. Besides, the implementation of such decisions has different—not precisely described in advance—effects on the interests of different groups in society. Some criteria are defined using different scales. Stakeholders could only evaluate the implemented project alternatives for efficiency throughout the project life cycle. It is essential to find alternative assessment models and adapt them to the challenges. The use of hybrid group multi-criteria decision-making models is one of the most appropriate ways to model such problems. This article presents a real application of the original model to choose the best second runway alternative of the airport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article briefly discusses the content and terms of construction project management. It identifies the main problems of construction management and discusses ways to solve those using multi-criteria methods. Well-performed management is one of the critical factors which leads to the success of any significant sustainable project. Construction project management consists of setting goals and defining user requirements, project constraints, and resources needed. This paper aims to create a practically useful model. The paper presents a comprehensive set of criteria, which led to the creation of a decision-making model for construction management, which was applied to a Turkish case study. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method and the Expert Choice computer program were used for calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special Issue covers symmetry and asymmetry phenomena occurring in real-life problems. We invited authors to submit their theoretical or experimental research presenting engineering and economic problem solution models dealing with the symmetry or asymmetry of different types of information. The issue gained interest in the research community and received many submissions. After rigorous scientific evaluation by editors and reviewers, nine papers were accepted and published. The authors proposed different solution models as integrated tools to find a balance between the components of sustainable global development, i.e., to find a symmetry axis concerning goals, risks, and constraints to cope with the complicated problems. We hope that a summary of the Special Issue as provided in this editorial will encourage a detailed analysis of the papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural designers that design buildings use different criteria to select the frames' materiality and structural solutions. Very often, the primary test is the cost of construction. Sometimes, solutions are determined by the terms of structure, architectural preferences, technological needs, fire safety requirements, environmental conditions, exploitation costs over the life of the building, ecological aspects, and experience, etc. This paper proposes an approach for analyzing the structural elements of buildings taking into account the impact on the environment using jointly incorporating subjective and objective aspects. The objective to combine the most important criteria into a single unit and carry out the overall assessment could be done by giving each variable a weighted value and perform a so-called multi-criteria analysis. This article shows the efficiency of the structural solution of the one-story building. The case study presents an investigation and comparison of five possible symmetrical structural solutions by multi-criteria assessment methods: The analysis of three steel frameworks differs majorly due to the beam-column characteristics, as well as precast RC frame structures case and combined steel beams and RC columns frame option. Possible solutions must meet all the essential requirements of the building, including mechanical resistance and stability. The obtained results show a broad assessment of the structural solutions of the building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stakeholders carry out construction projects under fast-changing conditions. The conditions can undermine the concept of a stable and prosperous construction plan without an appropriate permit and an active and targeted plan for environmental management. Therefore, the decision maker often faces many challenges of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) when it comes to solving the construction management proper response selection problem for planning delay changes when sustainable environment requirements are essential. Any addition, reduction, or modification of the original project plan is a change to the project and impacts the environment. Change occurrence is a probable issue while projects are implemented. One of the most complex tasks for the project manager is to work correctly and to find the most suitable decisions for the not precisely predetermined future expectations of a change. Therefore, the relevant criteria of values must reflect the uncertain properties of the problem model. Similar problems require fuzzy or grey MCDM methods. The paper introduces a new MCDM approach, which combines four different MCDM methods with grey numbers: the SWARA, TOPSIS-GM, Additive Ratio ASsessment with Grey Numbers (ARAS-G) techniques and Geometric Mean to cover uncertainty and improve the problem-solving model. An analysis of a case study has examined and highlighted four possible alternatives described by eight performance criteria (cost, duration, and some linguistic criteria). Stakeholders determined the best alternative, calculated the efficiency of choice, and practically implemented the best option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical information infrastructure exists in different sectors of each country. Its loss or sustainability violation will lead to a negative impact on the supply of essential services, as well as on the social or economic well-being of the population. It also may even pose a threat to people's health and lives. In the modern world, such infrastructure is more vulnerable and unstable than ever, due to rapid technological changes, and the emergence of a new type of threat—information threats. It is necessary to determine which infrastructure are of crucial importance when decision-makers aim to achieve the reliability of essential infrastructure. This article aims to solve the problem of ensuring the sustainable development of EU countries in terms of identifying critical information infrastructures. Integrated multi-criteria decision-making techniques based on fuzzy WASPAS and AHP methods are used to identify essential information infrastructures, which are related to a new type of potential threat to national security. The paper proposes a model for identifying critical information infrastructures, taking into account the sustainable development of countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of any business depends fundamentally on the possibility of balancing (symmetry) needs and their satisfaction, that is, the ability to properly define a set of success indicators. It is necessary to continuously monitor and measure the indicators that have the greatest impact on the achievement of previously set goals. Regarding transportation companies, the rationalization of transportation activities and processes plays an important role in ensuring business efficiency. Therefore, in this paper, a model for evaluating performance indicators has been developed and implemented in three different countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Libya and Serbia. The model consists of five phases, of which the greatest contribution is the development of a novel rough additive ratio assessment (ARAS) approach for evaluating measured performance indicators in transportation companies. The evaluation was carried out in the territories of the aforementioned countries in a total of nine companies that were evaluated on the basis of 20 performance indicators. The results obtained were verified throughout a three-phase procedure of a sensitivity analysis. The significance of the performance indicators was simulated throughout the formation of 10 scenarios in the sensitivity analysis. In addition, the following approaches were applied: rough WASPAS (weighted aggregated sum product assessment), rough SAW (simple additive weighting), rough MABAC (multi-attributive border approximation area comparison) and rough EDAS (evaluation based on distance from average solution), which showed high correlation of ranks by applying Spearman's correlation coefficient (SCC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a new decision model with multi-criteria analysis by a group of decision makers (DMs) with intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs). The presented model depends on a new integration of IFSs theory, ELECTRE and VIKOR along with grey relational analysis (GRA). To portray uncertain real-life situations and take account of complex decision problem, multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) model by totally unknown importance are introduced with IF-setting. Hence, a weighting method depended on Entropy and IFSs, is developed to present the weights of DMs and evaluation factors. A new ranking approach is provided for prioritizing the alternatives. To indicate the applicability of the presented new decision model, an industrial application for assessing contractors in the construction industry is given and discussed from the recent literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determination of subjective weights, which are based on the opinions and preferences of decision-makers, is one of the most important matters in the process of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM). Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) is an efficient method for obtaining the subjective weights of criteria in the MCDM problems. On the other hand, decision-makers may express their opinions with a degree of uncertainty. Using the symmetric interval type-2 fuzzy sets enables us to not only capture the uncertainty of information flexibly but also to perform computations simply. In this paper, we propose an extended SWARA method with symmetric interval type-2 fuzzy sets to determine the weights of criteria based on the opinions of a group of decision-makers. The weights determined by the proposed approach involve the uncertainty of decision-makers’ preferences and the symmetric form of the weights makes them more interpretable. To show the procedure of the proposed approach, it is used to determine the importance of intellectual capital dimensions and components in a company. The results show that the proposed approach is efficient in determining the subjective weights of criteria and capturing the uncertainty of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]