A Comprehensive Review of Multi-Attribute and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MADM/MCDM) Methods in Civil Engineering

Abstract

Civil engineering decisions are complex by the simultaneous assessment of multiple, sometimes conflicting technical, economic, environmental, and social aspects. Thus, MADM/MCDM techniques for systematic decision-support are growing. This work aims to synthesise, classify, and critique civil engineering MADM/MCDM applications. We used a systematic literature review to filter and assess over 100 peer-reviewed journal publications from major scientific databases. Classical approaches like AHP, TOPSIS, and VIKOR made up 60-70% of reported applications because of their simplicity and interpretability, whereas fuzzy-based and hybrid models made up 30-40%, showing the increased requirement to handle uncertainty and subjective assessments. Applications include construction management, transit planning, and sustainability assessment. A hybrid framework with weighing and ranking produced more reliable decision outputs than single-method solutions. Even when MADM/MCDM methods work, uncertainty modelling, sensitivity analysis, and digital technologies increase decision dependability, according to this research. More research should concentrate on validated hybrid frameworks and real-world benchmarking to enhance civil engineering MCDM-based decision aid.