Application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to select high performance concretes

Abstract This paper describes an application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to choose the best cement type and mixture for the production of high performance concrete. The decision process aimed at obtaining a concrete that would best meet the requirements of three hypothetical scenarios: (a) industrial concrete floors of a chemical plant, (b) structural elements of a thirty-floor building and (c) a massive foundation block of a green building. In this regard, six different concrete mixtures were evaluated (VR4, IIIR4, V280, III280, V200 and III210) according to four criteria: mechanical properties, durability, financial cost and environmental impact. The analysis results showed that the composition with CPV-ARI cement and content of 280 kg/m3 was the best alternative for scenario (a) and (b), while for scenario (c) the composition with cement CPIII and content of 210 kg/m3 was the best choice.