12th International Scientific Conference, April 20-22, 2009 Brno, Czech Republic 59MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS USED FORDECISION-MAKING ABOUT CRASH BARRIERS TYPEAPPRECIATIONDaniel MacekThe right decision in the matter of the use of an appropriate type of safety device –instanced by the crash barrier, requires concentration on the knowledge, judgement andevaluation of information available. This contribution deals with the evaluation of types ofcrash barrier from the viewpoint of their suitability for highway communications. Thespectrum of evaluation moves from a security aspect, then on to economic considerationsand eventually to ecological criteria. The aim is to set general priorities when usingindividual types of crash barrier.IntroductionViewpoints about the suitability of use of individual types of crash barriers are often different.The complex of problems therefore required a mapping out of the issues while also adding inviewpoints accessible from the media.In the circumstances of design preparation and subsequent implementation of orders forhighways and expressways of the first class the purchasing agent the Road and MotorwayDirectorate of the CR mostly prefers the use of steel crash barriers, and only rarely cable crashbarriers. The decision regarding choice of crash barrier type on any respective section howeverbelongs to the designer. He is responsible for a project. A building contractor is only responsible formaking a construction. The investor – the Road and Motorway Directorate of the CR is amongother roles obliged to check that quality is in harmony with regulations.It is obvious that with any choice of a particular crash barrier type on a respective section it isnecessary to make an individual judgment. The right decision for use of a crash barrier type must bepreceded by a decision process, the formulation of initial principles, setting down principles whichwill serve to determine the benefits for any crash barrier type so judged. An initial basis is thesetting of assessment criteria along a wide spectrum of viewpoints and proceeding with theiranalysis. Different views will emerge- that of the building owner, that of the operator, that of thegeneral public, that of the users. The latter the users will also differ in their individual viewpoints.Choice of factors for assessmentThese wide enumeration of viewpoints were portioned out into blocks and into any subsequentjudgement there were included additional standpoints: living cycle costs , winter maintenance, width ofa communication, universality of use, impact on living environment, recycling, aesthetic influence,security, material damage, psychological aspects, visibility, longevity, the challenges of assembly,vandalism, contractor’s reinsurance, experience from abroad, restraint. The criteria had the aim of anobjective viewpoint judged and evaluated by a number of respondents (during the course of theconducted inquiry) – experts working within the framework of the Czech Technical University inPrague. The data thus gained were subsequently evaluated by a multi-dimensional analysis (MDA).Daniel Macek, Katedra ekonomiky a řízení, <strong>Fakulta</strong> stavební, ČVUT v Praze. E-mail: daniel.macek@fsv.cvut.cz
6012th International Scientific Conference, April 20-22, 2009 Brno, Czech RepublicMethod MDAMDA carries out a choice of project solutions on the basis of a collection of criteria, which canbe divided into hierarchic levels. Their creation is specific for each individual technical project.They are differentiated by significance (relative weight). The programme product MDA enables afinalisation of options. The evaluation itself is carried out on the basis of an evaluation enabling theintroduction of technical or economic risks and developing trends. The resulting solution i.e. anevaluation of individual variants is also provided with a statement on the assumed spread(variability) and the assumed developing tendencies. The rather demanding information given is notincluded in a majority of the common decision methods.Decision criteria treeFor the evaluation of the suitability of individual crash barrier types there were selected fourbasic spheres, which touch on this complex of problems. They concern an investor’s viewpoint,ecological and aesthetic viewpoints, a user’s viewpoint and the technological reinsurance of achosen variant. The assigned evaluation weights are shown in Table1.Tab. 1 Evaluating criteria of the first degreeCriterionWeightInvestor’s viewpoint 0,3Ecological, aesthetic 0,1User 0,3Technological reinsurance 0,3Tab. 2 Evaluating criteria of the second degreeCriterionPartialweightTotalweightInvestor’s viewpointCosts LCC 0,700 0,210Winter maintenance 0,050 0,015Width of communication 0,150 0,045Universality of use 0,100 0,030Ecological, aestheticImpact on the living environm. 0,450 0,045Recycling of damaged material 0,350 0,035Aesthetic influence 0,200 0,020UserSecurity of traffic participants 0,600 0,180Material damage during crash 0,250 0,075Psychological aspects 0,050 0,015Technological reinsuranceLongevity 0,200 0,060Challenge of installation 0,100 0,030Vandalism, metal collectors 0,050 0,015Certification, trends abroad 0,150 0,045Supplier’s reinsurance 0,200 0,060Absorption of impact power 0,300 0,090