Elshaboury, N and Marzouk, M (2021) Optimizing construction and demolition waste transportation for sustainable construction projects. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 28(9), pp. 2411-2425. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose: There have been numerous efforts to tackle the problem of accumulated construction and demolition wastes worldwide. In this regard, this study develops a model for identifying the optimum fleet required for waste transportation. The proposed model is validated through a case study from the construction sector in New Cairo, Egypt. Design/methodology/approach: Various fleet combinations are assessed against the time, cost, energy and emissions generated from waste transportation. Genetic algorithm optimization is performed to select the near-optimum solutions. Complex proportional assessment and operational competitiveness rating analysis decision-making techniques are applied to rank Pareto frontier solutions. These rankings are aggregated using an ensemble approach based on the half-quadratic theory. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is implemented to determine the most sensitive attribute. Findings: The results reveal that the optimum fleet required for construction and demolition wastes (CDW) transportation consists of one wheel loader of bucket capacity 2.5 cubic meters and nine trucks of capacity 22 cubic meters. Furthermore, consensus index and trust level of 0.999 are obtained for the final ranking. This indicates that there is a high level of agreement between the rankings. Moreover, the most sensitive criterion (i.e. energy) is identified using a sensitivity analysis. Originality/value: This study proposes an efficient and effective construction and demolition waste transportation strategy that will lead to economic gains and protect the environment. It aims to select the optimum fleet required for waste transportation based on economic, social and environmental aspects. The usefulness of this study is establishing a consensual decision through the aggregation of conflicting decision makers' preferences in waste transportation and management.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction and demolition wastes; group decision making; multiple criteria decision making; optimization; sensitivity analysis; transportation |
| Index terms: | sustainable construction project, case study, Egypt, competitiveness, strategy, construction and demolition, Cairo, genetic algorithm, sensitivity analysis, construction sector, preference, decision-making, methodology, group decision making |
| Subjects: | waste management, risk assessment, data collection methods, environmental hazards, industry analysis, decision analysis, market analysis, sustainable construction, Geography, research methods, algorithms, decision-making and reasoning, management |
| Topics: | Geographical Context, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Sustainability, Risk Management, Digital Applications |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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