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Selection a Suitable Technology in Construction Industry by Using Anthropy Combined Method-Topsis
Ehsan Sabzghabaee1*, Reza Maddahi2, Mohsen Izadinia3
1Department of Industrial Management, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran
2Department of Mathematics, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran
3Department of Civil Engineering, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran
*Corresponding Author Email: [email protected]
Abstract
Representation of a suitable pattern for selection the best technology in construction industry is examined in this article. In this regard an analytical model for recognition of effective criteria in selection suitable technology has been offered. Evaluation factors are a combination of qualitative and quantitative criteria that are categorized in 4 main groups: technical, economic, environmental and socio cultural. Sub criteria concerning 4 groups and various kind of substituted technologies have been determined in construction industry through questionnaire and people comments on this matter.
At first index capacity is determined by using Anthropy method then technologies are ranked through Topsis method. This method is called Anthropy combined method-Topsis in this article. Finally, continuous concrete frames technology [tunnel frame] has been introduced as the best technology in priority of substituted technologies in construction industry.
Keywords: Construction technology, Decision making under multi criteria, Group decision making, Topsis method, Anthropy method.
Introduction
Technology selection is a decision making process that through it the best technology is determined among several technologies. Correct evaluation of technology is examined in various levels part, agency and national that are explained in the following. Obtain wrong policies concerning industrial development and blind imitation from developed countries without consideration of environmental and time conditions in targeted countries has not been a strategy but in some case has added existing problems because of dependence or subject to threat culture basis. Transfer of technology from advanced countries to developing countries is done along with advanced countries aims. These aims include use natural resources of developing country, utility cheap labor force and also creation new consumption market. So instead of received country moves forward industrialization, it is changed to a market for machinery sale of developed countries [under low level technology] due to lack of planning and a suitable method for correct selection of technology. This article offers a pattern for selection of technology through recognition of effective criteria in order to help removing problems in field of construction industry.
Construction industry is one of the common and efficient industries in the world. Increasing buildings industry is necessary to promote future needs. Whereas today there are various technologies with advantages and disadvantages in internal and external market and selection of these technologies can have special consequences, this selection is very important. On the other hand, a useful framework has not been defined for decision making. And choices are aimless without effective criteria. This causes non effective economy activities.
Necessity of research
Selection of a correct technology becomes harder day to day. Because technologies are growing and become more complex (Touchily & Tominen, 2002). In addition, decision makers face problems like increase cost of technology development, an extensive range of existing substituted alternatives and fast diffusion of technology (Beri & Tagart, 1994). For example, technology expenses are more than 1.3 total cost of business (Bakoos, 1998). Redundancy and complexity of technological alternatives makes difficult selection and obtain suitable technology (Rand, 2001). In addition to increase cost of technology development and plenty alternatives, some studies show that companies are not able to new technologies evaluation. Hakt (1990), Greenberg and kanzonery (1995) points that projects for obtaining to new technology are not successful in most companies or expectations are not
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promoted (Hang & Mock, 1999). Unsuccessful projects for technology choice results from weak management and evaluation. Some other reasons include non communication between technologic investment and industry (Escruder & Sohal, 1999).
These studies show necessity of an exact evaluation for removing problems in technology selection before introduction a new technology (Efestadiadsoo et al., 2000). Article resource is important for decision makers. They must consider various aspects of criteria like potential benefit, risk and cost to choose a suitable technology. In real world may be there is a relationship between variables. In addition, complexity of relations between technology and economy problems along with national and organizational limitations and budget resources show that new challenges has been emerged for science and technology.
Theoretical fundamental Technology definition
One of the complex definitions offered by Galbrit in year of 1974 is as follows: systematic application of science or other organized knowledge for practical duties.
Another definition offered by Khalil is: technology means knowledge for designing, manufacture and production development to promote human requirements. It is a technical knowledge or combination of processes relating manufacture, product design, materials recognition and quality control.
Technology term is derived from a Greek word and combination of two words:
Tech means skill and art that has not existed before and created by human.
Logic means thought and plan.
Selection of suitable technology.
Technology selection is a complex process and fundamental in decision making process relevant to technology including various dimensions. Product choice, production systems, manufacture process, required equipment, human force and skill are issues that determine organization performance. So there are some limitations for the best choice. Technology choice depends on 4 main components:
Goals and values of organization or decision maker.
Environmental terms [limitations- effective factors on selection in internal and external of organization].
Decision maker’s specialty.
Information volume.
Regarding above issues and 4 factors, the following process is one of the processes for selection of a suitable technology.
determine goals –favors and qualitative and quantitative criteria
selection method-decision making model
information collection concerning model
offer suitable result
Priority of existing technologies in construction industry
Statistical society in research includes master managers, intermediate managers and experts in filed of construction industry with 10 years experience and holder of bachelor, master and doctorate degree. At first collected criteria and recognized technologies were approved by questionnaire no. 1 and refined statistical testing and 23 criteria, 8 technologies for ranking. Likert scale is used for evaluation. This questionnaire includes 42 questions, 43 index and 8 options. After options examination and criteria, a model is offered. Then ranking options has been done by Topsis method of decision making approaches with multi criteria. This method is based on criteria/index, options and scales [importance of index]. Existing technologies evaluation was done by questionnaire no. 2.
In questionnaire 184 questions wee asked. 5 options have been considered. By using hour range, answers are changed to quantitative answers. Questionnaire validity is a nominal validity and their reliability is evaluated by Alfa keronbach and obtains high rank.
Recognition of substitute technologies
To select a technology in every industry, the first challenge is to select substitute technologies that are competitive in that industry. In this research for selecting substitute technologies and solve challenge two actions have been done. First examination of modern technologies registered by researches center of house department and use survey studies then consult with experts during interviews, 8 technologies are recognized as examples containing technologies with various specifications and facilities as substitute technologies. With regard that these 8 technologies have different effects and determining results in this industry, selection of technologies are important for industry. 8 technologies are examples for various shapes of current technologies in construction industry. 8 technologies include: light steel frame LSF, continues concrete [tunnel frame], durable insulation frame [ICF], 3 dimensional panels, concrete prefabricated system, prefabricated shell structure, concrete structure traditional system, steel structure traditional system.
Collected criteria
With revision various criteria obtained from valid researches for technology choice, these criteria are categorized. Researcher offers new and uniform categorization regarding title and content of categorization that it is used in decision making for select
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technology in construction industry. whereas these criteria have been extracted from valid articles and researches , they include following items after refinery: Resistance against earthquake, performance speed, softening, quality control, structure strength, available materials, flexibility of loading capacity , manufacture capability, construct standards and national by laws easily, transportation cost, return interest , waste of pollution, consumption productivity resource , energy compatible to Iranian and Islamic architecture, available force and expertise ,effect on market, governmental support. Topsis method is used for selection of a suitable technology in construction industry.
Topsis method
Decision making is a process to find the best solution among alternatives. In many issues variety and plenty criteria causes complexity. So to solve these challenges, the best method is to use decision making methods with multi criteria. This is a dynamic and complex that contain managerial and engineering levels. Topsis algorithm is one of the decision making methods with multi criteria.
First stage: create decision making matrix including m,n.
Second stage: create matrix without weight scale Equation 2:
That wj is weight of indexes.
Third stage: determine ideal option Equation 3: Positive ideal
1 2
(maxV ), (minV ) 1, 2,...
, ,...., ,
ij ij
j n
A j J j J i m
V V V V
Equation 4:Negative ideal
1 2
(minV ), (maxV ) 1, 2,...
, ,...., ,
ij ij
j n
A j J j J i m
V V V V
Fourth stage: calculate distance from ideal /non ideal option Equation 5: distance from ideal option
2 0.51
; 1, 2,....,
n
i ij j
j
d
V V
i m
Equation 6: distance from non ideal option
2 0.51
; 1, 2,....,
n
i ij j
j
d V V i m
Fifth stage: option with the least distance to ideal option is the best option.
Equation 7:
i
i
i i
cl d
d d
;0 cl
i 1
; i1, 2,...,mCalculate matrix index weight for decision making by using Anthropy method
Anthropy is a main concept in physical and social sciences and information theory. It shows non reliability rate in expected information content. In other words, Anthropy is a criteria for non reliable in information theory by discrete possibility. This non reliable is severe than distribution. It is calculated by a value E in equation 1-4.
1 2
1
, ,..., .ln
m
n i i
i
E S p p p k p p
K is a positive value for
0 E 1
E in possibility distribution pi is calculated based on statistical mechanism and its value is maximum in case of equal pi.
1 1
ln n ln
E k k
n n n
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One decision making matrix from model MADM contains information that Anthropy is used as a criteria for evaluation. Current information content in decision making matrix as Pij is :
1
; ,
ij
ij m
ij i
P r i j
r
Ej is calculated in Pij for every feature:
1 k ln
m
Standard deviation of information is calculated for each index J :
1 ;
j j
d E j
Index weights wj is calculated by formula 15-3:
1
; j
j
j n
j j
w d
d
If decision makers have a judgment as partial importance for index J , then wj is adjusted through Anthropy as follows:
1
; j
.
j j
j n
j j
j
w w
w
Table 1. Quantitative data from evaluation.
Decision making matrix
Criteria
Technologies Light steel
frame/LSF Continuous concrete frame/tunnel
frame
(ICF) 3dimension al panels
/ sandwich
Concrete prefabric
ated system
Prefabricated shell system
Concrete structure traditional
system
steel structure traditiona l system Resistence
against
earthquake 1.7 6.9 6.1 6.1 6 6.6 6.2 6.1
Performanc
e speed 6.8 1.7 1.7 6.7 7.1 6 4.2 1
Softening 7.4 1.1 1.7 6.8 1.2 6 1.9 4.9
Quality
control 6.7 6.4 6.6 6.2 6.4 6.1 4.7 1.2
Structure
strength 1.2 6.1 6.1 1.2 6.6 6.1 6.4 1.1
Available
materials 4.4 4.7 4.7 1.7 1.1 1 7.8 7.1
Flexibility 1.9 4.7 4.9 1.2 4/9 1/1 1/1 6
Loading
capacity 1 6/1 1/7 1/4 1/9 6/2 6/4 6/4
Manufacture
capability 1.1 1 1.1 1.6 1.4 1.1 6.8 6.9
Manufacture convenienc e
6 .
1 1.2 1.8 6.1 1.9 1.1 6.1 1.7
National by laws and
standards 6.1 6.1 6.1 1.7 6.1 1.6 6 6
Transportati
on cost 4.6 1.7 1.1 4.9 6.7 6.1 1.1 1.7
Benefit 6.6 6.1 1.9 6.1 6.1 1.9 6.4 6.4
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Second stage: above decision making matrix based on formula 1 is normalized and then matrix 2 is made after scaling:
Table 2. quantitative data from Technologies.
Criteria
Technologies Light steel
frame/LSF Continuou s concrete
frame/tun nel frame
(ICF )
3dimension al panels
/ sandwich
Concrete prefabricate
d system Prefabricated shell system
Concrete structure traditional
system
steel structure traditional
system Resista
nce against earthqu
ake
7 .
1 6.9 6.1 6.1 6 6.6 6.2 6.1
Perform ance
speed 6.8 1.7 1.7 6.7 7.1 6 4.2 1
Softenin
g 7.4 1.1 1.7 6.8 1.2 6 1.9 4.9
Quality
control 6.7 6.4 6.6 6.2 6.4 6.1 4.7 1.2
Structur e
strength 1.2 6.1 6.1 1.2 6.6 6.1 6.4 1.1
Availabl e material
s
4 .
4 4.7 4.7 1.7 1.1 1 7.8 7.1
Flexibilit
y 1.9 4.7 4.9 1.2 4.9 1.1 1.1 6
Loading
capacity 1 6.1 1.7 1.4 1.9 6.2 6.4 6.4
Manufac ture capabilit y
1 .
1 1 1.1 1.6 1.4 1.1 6.8 6.9
Manufac
ture 1.6 1.2 1.8 6.1 1.9 1.1 6.1 1.7
Return
investment 6.1 1.7 1.1 6.4 6.4 1.6 1.1 1.1
Wastes 1.7 4 4.8 4.6 4.4 4.7 6.6 1.8
Pollution 1.1 1.6 4.1 4.1 4.1 4.8 6.2 1.7
Resource
utility 1.2 4.9 4.4 1.9 1.6 1 7.2 6
Productivity
and energy 1.7 1.2 1.7 1.1 4.8 1.2 4.4 4.4
Compatible to Iranian /Islamic architecture
9 .
1 4.1 4.6 4.4 1.2 1.1 6.1 6
Available force
/expertise 4.1 4.8 4.7 1.1 1.2 4.4 8.2 7.2
Impact on
market 1.1 1.2 1.1 1.6 1.6 1.6 7.1 6.8
Euphemism 1.4 1.1 1.1 1 1.4 1.4 6 6.2
Government
al support 1.1 1.4 1.1 1.6 1.4 1.6 4.8 4.7
267 conveni ence National by laws and standar ds
1 .
6 6.1 6.1 1.7 6.1 1.6 6 6
Transpo rtation
cost 4.6 1.7 1.1 4.9 6.7 6.1 1.1 1.7
Benefit 6.6 6.1 1.9 6.1 6.1 1.9 6.4 6.4
Return investm
ent 6.1 1.7 1.1 6.4 6.4 1.6 1.1 1.1
Wastes 1.7 4 4.8 4.6 4.4 4.7 6.6 1.8
Pollution 1.1 1.6 4.1 4.1 4.1 4.8 6.2 1.7
Resourc
e utility 1.2 4.9 4.4 1.9 1.6 1 7.2 6
Producti vity and
energy 1.7 1.2 1.7 1.1 4.8 1.2 4.4 4.4
Compati ble to Iranian /Islamic architect ure
9 .
1 4.1 4.6 4.4 1.2 1.1 6.1 6
Availabl e force /expertis e
1 .
4 4.8 4.7 1.1 1.2 4.4 8.2 7.2
Impact on market
1 .
1 1.2 1.1 1.6 1.6 1.6 7.1 6.8
Euphem
ism 1.4 1.1 1.1 1 1.4 1.4 6 6.2
Govern mental
support 1.1 1.4 1.1 1.6 1.4 1.6 4.8 4.7
Third stage: by using questionnaire and comments, weight of each index is determined. Table 3 shows weights.
Table 3 .matrix of index weight.
Options
Criteria Ei Di Wi
Resistance against earthquake 0.991 0.0008 0.018
Performance speed 0.988 0.021 0.041
Softening 0.987 0.021 0.046
Quality control 0.992 0.009 0.012
Structure strength 0.991 0.008 0.018
Available materials 0.981 0.021 0.011
flexibility 0.991 0.007 0.014
Loading capacity 0.991 0.007 0.014
Manufacture capability 0.992 0.009 0.012
Manufacture convenience 0.994 0.006 0.012
National by laws and standards 0.991 0.007 0.014
Transportation cost 0.992 0.009 0.012
Benefit 0.991 0.001 0.027
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Fourth stage: in last stage by using formula 5,6 distance of all ideal/non ideal options is calculated then through formula 7 selection index is obtained. Parts categorization is based on selection index. Higher ranks have greater selection index. Results of calculations are stated in the following table:
Table 4. Results of ranks calculations.
Technology Ranking
Continuous concrete frames/tunnel frame 1
Light steel frame/LSF 2
3dimensional panels/sandwich 3
Concrete prefabricated system 4
Durable insulation frames /ICF 5
Prefabricated shell system 6
Steel structure traditional system 7
Concrete structure traditional system 8
So Continuous concrete frames/tunnel frame is introduced as the best technology in construction industry by Topsis method.
Conclusion
Continuous concrete frames/tunnel frame is introduced as the best technology in construction industry. Experts and experienced people in criteria selection stage considers technical, environmental, economical and socio cultural issues. Regarding ranking and all indexes and priority of modern technologies upon examination of questionnaire and interviews with experts, access to materials and labor force and governmental support focuses on concrete and steel traditional systems. New technologies has been promoted concerning technical, economic and environmental indexes in comparison with traditional and common technologies but regarding existing cultural and territorial conditions in non developed countries , modern technologies are weak concerning socio cultural. Questionnaire and interview show little governmental support form modern technologies so that executive factors and investors under knowledge of technologies priority tend to execute common and traditional systems due to lack of support.
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Return investment 0.991 0.007 0.014
Wastes, resources, materials and energy 0.981 0.028 0.061
Pollution 0.916 0.064 0.116
Resources consumption[water/materials]
) 0.981 0.028 0.061
Productivity and energy 0.994 0.006 0.012
Compatible to Iranian /Islamic architecture 0.988 0.021 0.041
Available force /expertise 0.982 0.029 0.067
Impact on market 0.991 0.007 0.014
Euphemism 0.994 0.006 0.012
Governmental support 0.989 0.022 0.018