0
  • DE
  • EN
  • FR
  • International Database and Gallery of Structures

Advertisement

Modeling social sustainability in construction projects by integrating system dynamics and fuzzy‐DEMATEL method: a case study of highway project

Author(s):




Medium: journal article
Language(s): English
Published in: Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, , n. 7, v. 27
Page(s): 1595-1618
DOI: 10.1108/ecam-01-2018-0031
Abstract:

Purpose

This research aims to model the social dimension of sustainability in construction projects. A new hybrid system dynamic (SD)–fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method is proposed to analyze the various factors affecting social aspect of sustainability taking into account their complex interactions.

Design/methodology/approach

The various factors affecting the social dimension of sustainable development are identified based on the opinions of 12 experts with an extensive experience in highway construction projects and a thorough knowledge and/or professional experience in the sustainability area. The qualitative model of social sustainability is constructed using SD approach and the complex inter-related structure of the various influencing factors are modeled using cause and effect feedback loops. Fuzzy set theory is applied to model the uncertainty of human judgments. The importance of various influencing factors is then determined quantitatively taking account of their complex interactions using the proposed SD-fuzzy DEMATEL method. The most significant influencing factors are finally determined.

Findings

To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, it is implemented on a real highway project and the importance of various factors affecting the social sustainability is determined. A set of complex interrelated factors affecting social sustainability are divided into cause and effect groups, and the root causes affecting the social sustainability performance of the project are determined. Therefore, the required managerial actions can be taken to improve the social sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

Well-qualified experts with a well-developed mental model of social sustainability are necessary to provide required input data for modeling social sustainability using the proposed approach. The absence of such experts could be a limitation for the implementation of the proposed model on a new project.

Practical implications

The proposed Hybrid SD-fuzzy DEMATEL method provides a practical and robust tool to analyze the various factors affecting social sustainability taking into account their complex interactions.

Originality/value

The proposed method offers a more precise and accurate analysis of various factors affecting social sustainability of construction projects since the complex inter-related structure of influencing factors as well as the vague and imprecise nature of experts' judgment is taken into account efficiently.

Structurae cannot make the full text of this publication available at this time. The full text can be accessed through the publisher via the DOI: 10.1108/ecam-01-2018-0031.
  • About this
    data sheet
  • Reference-ID
    10576983
  • Published on:
    26/02/2021
  • Last updated on:
    26/02/2021
 
Structurae cooperates with
International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE)
e-mosty Magazine
e-BrIM Magazine