An evaluation method with imprecise information for multi-attribute decision support

This paper presents a method using intervals for representing and synthesizing imprecise information for multi-attribute evaluation and decision-making support. An implementation is given for selecting an alternative for a project in a real case in the context of construction in civil engineering. As a previous step to aggregate the available information, a methodology is proposed for summarizing and normalizing values in an intervals context, representing the alternatives by means of rectangles in R-n (products of n finite closed intervals in R). A distance is introduced in the set of rectangles, defining a total order once a reference rectangle is considered. A method is given for the choice of the best alternative based on the comparison of distances to a reference rectangle. The constraints which guarantee consistency are determined and the consistency of the method is established.