Title: A novel weight allocation and decision making method for space launch vehicle design concept selection

Authors: Rizwan Ullah; De Qun Zhou; Peng Zhou; Majid Baseer

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology, Landi Akhun Ahmad, Hayat Abad Link, Ring Road, Peshawar, Pakistan; College of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Yudao Street, Nanjing 210016, China ' College of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Yudao Street, Nanjing 210016, China ' College of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Yudao Street, Nanjing 210016, China ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology, Landi Akhun Ahmad, Hayat Abad Link, Ring Road, Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract: One of the most important issues in multi-attribute decision making is the determination of the criteria weights. Traditionally, criteria weights are allocated as per the expert's judgement or are objectively determined using mathematical models. While the weights allocated as per the expert's judgement are criticised for its subjectivity, the objective weights lack the ability to include the decision maker's preferences. To overcome these difficulties, a new integrated weight allocation approach has been proposed which has the ability to accept both subjective and objective information. A novel way of eliciting decision maker's subjective information has been presented. Moreover, a new multiple attribute decision making method is proposed in which the performance index of alternatives is used as a basis for ranking and decision making. The usefulness of the proposed weight allocation and decision making approach has been demonstrated with its successful application to the practical problem of space launch vehicle design concept selection.

Keywords: space launch vehicles; SLVs; design concept selection; multiattribute decision making; MADM; criteria weight allocation; subjective weights; objective weights; integrated weight allocation; preference ordering; performance indexes; expert judgement; design concepts; subjective information; objective information; alternatives; ranking.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISE.2015.067246

International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 2015 Vol.19 No.2, pp.155 - 168

Received: 09 Jun 2013
Accepted: 05 Aug 2013
Published online: 02 Feb 2015 *

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