A decision making model for investment and development of construction panels

Abstract

A study was conducted to select the best alternative for the development of construction panels as well as investment in its manufacturing in Iran. Three alternatives are considered, cement-bonded wood composite product, substituted products (such as concrete panel) sandwich panel and a mixture of them. We apply the analytic network process (ANP) to achieve this goal. A hierarchy is designed to prioritize benefits, opportunities, costs and risks (BOCR) by using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) ratings approach. To evaluate the “control criteria” of the system, a control hierarchy is also created and prioritized by applying the Analytic Network Process (ANP). A total of four major control criteria in the system are prioritized where each one controls a decision network evaluated using ANP. The final synthesis of the system shows cement-bonded wood composite product is the best choice among three potential alternatives for the investment and development.

Keywords

cement-bonded wood composite / foamed concrete / Analytic Network Process