Selecting project-critical path by a new interval type-2 fuzzy decision methodology based on MULTIMOORA, MOOSRA and TPOP methods

Abstract In this paper, a novel decision methodology of critical path determination is introduced that not only considers project time but also considers project cost, risk, quality and safety. To address uncertain project environment, interval type-2 fuzzy sets (IT2FSs) are presented in the proposed decision methodology. The ratings of each activity and the weight of each criterion are described by IT2F-numbers. To address this multi-criteria decision problem, a new version of MULTIMOORA and MOOSRA methods are extended to IT2F-uncertainty and are used to determine project’s critical paths. In addition to addressing IT2FSs, the method is enhanced by replacing the commonly applied dominance theory by a new version of multi-approaches multi-criteria decision-making technique, namely technique of precise order preference (TPOP). Finally, in order to display the applicability of the presented methodology, an existing case study from the literature to aircraft prototype batch is adopted and solved. Furthermore, a case study of construction project is solved by proposed methodology. Also, sensitivity analysis and comparative analysis are carried out, and the results are discussed. The validity of the proposed methodology is confirmed by solving two decision methods of the recent literature. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis illustrates that the critical path of the project is approximately insensitive to weights of new MULTIMOORA method's main parts.