Class Thresholds Pre-Definition by Clustering Techniques for Applications of ELECTRE TRI Method

Flavio Trojan, Pablo Isaias Rojas Fernandez, Marcio Guerreiro, Lucas Biuk, Mohamed A. Mohamed (), Pierluigi Siano (), Roberto F. Dias Filho, Manoel H. N. Marinho and Hugo Valadares Siqueira
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Flavio Trojan: Graduate Program in Industrial Engineering (PPGEP), Federal University of Technology-Paraná-UTFPR, R. Doutor Washington Subtil Chueire, 330-Jardim Carvalho, Ponta Grossa 84017-220, PR, Brazil
Pablo Isaias Rojas Fernandez: Graduate Program in Industrial Engineering (PPGEP), Federal University of Technology-Paraná-UTFPR, R. Doutor Washington Subtil Chueire, 330-Jardim Carvalho, Ponta Grossa 84017-220, PR, Brazil
Marcio Guerreiro: Graduate Program in Industrial Engineering (PPGEP), Federal University of Technology-Paraná-UTFPR, R. Doutor Washington Subtil Chueire, 330-Jardim Carvalho, Ponta Grossa 84017-220, PR, Brazil
Lucas Biuk: Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering (PPGEE), Federal University of Technology-Paraná-UTFPR, R. Doutor Washington Subtil Chueire, 330-Jardim Carvalho, Ponta Grossa 84017-220, PR, Brazil
Mohamed A. Mohamed: Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Minia University, Minia 61519, Egypt
Pierluigi Siano: Department of Management & Innovation Systems, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
Roberto F. Dias Filho: Polytechnic School of Pernambuco, University of Pernambuco, R. Benfica 455, Recife 50720-001, PE, Brazil
Manoel H. N. Marinho: Polytechnic School of Pernambuco, University of Pernambuco, R. Benfica 455, Recife 50720-001, PE, Brazil
Hugo Valadares Siqueira: Graduate Program in Industrial Engineering (PPGEP), Federal University of Technology-Paraná-UTFPR, R. Doutor Washington Subtil Chueire, 330-Jardim Carvalho, Ponta Grossa 84017-220, PR, Brazil

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 4, 1-24

Abstract: The sorting problem in the Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) has been used to address issues whose solutions involve the allocation of alternatives in classes. Traditional multi-criteria methods are commonly used for this task, such as ELECTRE TRI, AHP-Sort, UTADIS, PROMETHEE, GAYA, etc. While using these approaches to perform the sorting procedure, the decision-makers define profiles (thresholds) for classes to compare the alternatives within these profiles. However, most such applications are based on subjective tasks, i.e., decision-makers’ expertise, which sometimes might be imprecise. To fill that gap, in this paper, a comparative analysis using the multi-criteria method ELECTRE TRI and clustering algorithms is performed to obtain an auxiliary procedure to define initial thresholds for the ELECTRE TRI method. In this proposed methodology, K-Means, K-Medoids, Fuzzy C-Means algorithms, and Bio-Inspired metaheuristics such as PSO, Differential Evolution, and Genetic algorithm for clustering are tested considering a dataset from a fundamental problem of sorting in Water Distribution Networks. The computational performances indicate that Fuzzy C-Means was more suitable for achieving the desired response. The practical contributions show a relevant procedure to provide an initial view of boundaries in multi-criteria sorting methods based on the datasets from specific applications. Theoretically, it is a new development to pre-define the initial limits of classes for the sorting problem in multi-criteria approach.

Keywords: multi-criteria sorting procedure; clustering algorithms; multi-criteria sorting methods; class bounds and variations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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