Application of case-based reasoning and multi-criteria decision-making methods for material selection in petrochemistry

This paper describes a decision support approach for selecting construction materials in the field of petrochemistry. The correct selection of construction materials is the basis for the provision of durability, long lifetime, and the safety of the designed and upgraded equipment. The proposed hybrid approach is based on the joint application of case-based reasoning and multi-criteria decision-making methods, particularly the aggregation and ranking alternatives nearby the multi-attribute ideal situation (ARAMIS) and aggregation of individual ranking/ complex of aggregation of individual ranking (AIR/CAIR) methods are used. In turn, ARAMIS enables the processing of individual preferences, which are represented in the form of numeric and verbal estimates, and AIR/CAIR is used for processing rankings (strictly or partially ordered sets of alternatives). The primary advantage of this approach is that it considers the experience of previous successful solutions of the materials selection problem, demonstrates the validity of the obtained results using the mathematical theory of multi-criteria decision making and explains the decision making process. The approach is implemented in the form of the expert system. The case model, algorithms, and an illustrative example of application of the proposed approach are also presented.