Assessing the productivity of prefabricated and in-situ construction systems using hybrid multi-criteria decision making method

There is little interest in prefabrication in the construction industries of developing countries, despite all its advantages. The main challenge goes back to the low level of knowledge and wrong believes about the productivity of prefabrication construction systems in comparison with conventional ones. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive and systemic decision-making tool to assess the productivity of construction systems of residential buildings. First, the determinants of productivity are identified using the Delphi method. Then, the Decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method is used to determine the level of influence of various criteria. Thereafter, the Analytic Network Process (ANP) method is utilized to determine the importance weight of criteria and finally, the ranking is done by the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method. Our analysis indicated that the management and planning criterion is the most influential criteria, and the cost is the most impressionable criterion in terms of productivity. Also, the case study results demonstrated that the prefabricated concrete buildings are the most productive ones, compared to the other two construction systems of prefabricated, and in-situ concrete. In the lack of possibility of complete prefabricated method, the combination of in-situ and prefabricated concrete construction system can be applied as a productive method in building the structure and façade. Finally, the results confirmed that the proposed decision-making process could assist the investors to select the most appropriate prefabricated construction system to achieve the highest level of productivity. •A powerful hybrid method is proposed for the assessment of construction system productivity.•The proposed method is able to consider multiple criteria as well as the interaction between them.•The management and planning has the highest influence on the productivity of construction systems.•The productivity of concrete prefabricated buildings is higher than composite and in-situ one.