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This paper presents an application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) by integrating a Delphi process for selecting the best sustainable disinfection technique for wastewater reuse projects. The proposed methodology provides project managers a tool to evaluate problems with multiple criteria and multiple alternatives which involve non-commeasurable decision criteria, with expert opinions playing a major role in the selection of these treatment technologies. Five disinfection techniques for wastewater reuse have been evaluated for each of the nine criteria weighted according to the opinions of consulted experts. Finally, the VIKOR method has been applied to determine a compromise solution, and to establish the stability of the results. Therefore, the expert system proposed to select the optimal disinfection alternative is a hybrid method combining the AHP with the Delphi method and the VIKOR technique, which is shown to be appropriate in realistic scenarios where multiple stakeholders are involved in the selection of a sustainable disinfection technique for wastewater reuse projects.

Throughout the centuries, utilities have been an important and sometimes decisive instrument in human development. Municipal policy-makers and engineers have been playing a key role in improving management and technology of urban utilities. With the growth of urban areas and the corresponding increased demand for utility services, available underground space will continue to diminish. Therefore, planning for an urban subsurface sustainable future consists of the ability to lessen the use of traditional trenching techniques and developing coordinated installations of utilities. As an innovative problem-solving technique, utility tunnels become inevitable to reduce congestion of the shallow underground. Utilities management becomes more complex as many public authorities and private companies are involved. Because of the complexity of ownership of the various utility tunnel potential occupants, some form of governmental ownership would probably be the most practicable, although other forms (individual private, joint private, or condominium) of ownership must be analysed. Whatever the form of financing and ownership, some single entity must be made responsible not only for initial construction but also for security, access control, and operation and maintenance throughout the life of the project. The purpose of this paper is to point out some of the utility tunnels innovation and organizational advantages to encourage municipal engineers to demand sustainable solutions for services congestion. Proper adequate governance and security management should be key elements of every decision undertaken in utility tunnels.

ElsevierCantó Perelló, J.; Curiel Esparza, J.; Calvo Peña, V. (2013). Criticality and threat analysis on utility tunnels for planning security policies of utilities in urban underground space. Expert Systems with Applications. 40 (11) AbstractA utility tunnel is defined as an underground structure containing one or more utilities, permitting the installation, maintenance and removal of the systems without the necessity of making street cuts or excavations. These underground facilities contain all essential utilities serving large urban areas collected together in a tunnel; therefore they are an inviting target for sabotage or vandalism. This paper proposes an expert system combining color-coded scales, Delphi and AHP methods to analyze criticality and threats on utility tunnels to support planning of security policies for utilities in urban subsurface.

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