Decision aids for the selection of installation technology for underground municipal infrastructure systems

Sewer systems form a vital component of the municipal infrastructure in the US. Many of the municipal utility systems in the US were constructed during the turn of the 20th century and are reaching the end stages of their design life. Municipal utility systems are eroding due to aging, excessive demand, misuse, exposure, and neglect (National Science Foundation (NSF), January (1993),8, March (1995).9) Trenchless technology (TT) consists of a wide range of methods, materials, and equipment to install new or to rehabilitate existing underground pipelines and utility systems with minimal excavation of the ground. The development, selection, and utilization of trenchless technology (TT) has expanded rapidly over the past 10 years. The reason for this exceptional growth is the desire to install or rehabilitate underground pipeline systems with minimum impact on society and the environment. The benefits of trenchless technology are quite apparent when compared to the conventional open-cut process. However, it is necessary to evaluate the appropriateness of any technology, trenchless or otherwise, on a project-to-project basis by considering all the criteria and subcriteria important for the decision task. This paper presents a framework for a Decision Support System (DSS) to assist design engineers and system managers in selecting the most appropriate technology for a project by systematically evaluating five groups of criteria and subcriteria with respect to the knowledge based preference of the user and the project specific situations. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.