A Hybrid Fuzzy DEMATEL–DANP–TOPSIS Framework for Life Cycle-Based Sustainable Retrofit Decision-Making in Seismic RC Structures

Paola Villalba, Antonio J. Sánchez-Garrido, Lorena Yepes-Bellver and Víctor Yepes ()
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Paola Villalba: Department of Construction Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Antonio J. Sánchez-Garrido: Department of Construction Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Lorena Yepes-Bellver: Mechanics of Continuous Media and Theory of Structures Department, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Víctor Yepes: Institute of Concrete Science and Technology (ICITECH), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain

Mathematics, 2025, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-21

Abstract: Seismic retrofitting of reinforced concrete (RC) structures is essential for improving resilience and extending service life, particularly in regions with outdated building codes. However, selecting the optimal retrofitting strategy requires balancing multiple interdependent sustainability criteria—economic, environmental, and social—under expert-based uncertainty. This study presents a fuzzy hybrid multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach that combines DEMATEL, DANP, and TOPSIS to represent causal interdependencies, derive interlinked priority weights, and rank retrofit alternatives. The assessment applies three complementary life cycle-based tools—cost-based, environmental, and social sustainability analyses following LCCA, LCA, and S-LCA frameworks, respectively—to evaluate three commonly used retrofitting strategies: RC jacketing, steel jacketing, and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) wrapping. The fuzzy-DANP methodology enables accurate modeling of feedback among sustainability dimensions and improves expert consensus through causal mapping. The findings identify CFRP as the top-ranked alternative, primarily attributed to its enhanced performance in both environmental and social aspects. The model’s robustness is confirmed via sensitivity analysis and cross-method validation. This mathematically grounded framework offers a reproducible and interpretable tool for decision-makers in civil infrastructure, enabling sustainability-oriented retrofitting under uncertainty.

Keywords: fuzzy MCDM; DEMATEL-ANP; life cycle assessment; seismic retrofit; sustainability; uncertainty modeling; circular economy; reinforced concrete; decision-making; multi-criteria analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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