A Hybrid DEMATEL-ANP and LCA Decision-Making Model for Selecting Pipe Materials in Hydrocarbon Pipeline Projects

Analysis of the properties of diverse pipe materials is a must for delivering the requirements of hydrocarbon pipeline projects. Three of the most commonly used hydrocarbon pipe materials are carbon steel, glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GRP), and glass fiber-reinforced epoxy (GRE). An integrated multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) and lifecycle assessment (LCA) method is utilized to select the most suitable pipe material for hydrocarbon pipeline projects. In this research, the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) analysis is integrated with the analytic network process (ANP) and with LCA. The proposed hybrid decision-making model defines complex causal relationships among different criteria. It can also combine technical, economic, and environmental criteria for pipe material selection in hydrocarbon pipeline projects. Results show that the environmental impacts of carbon steel pipes are higher than other materials in almost every impact category, whereas GRE pipe is the most environmentally friendly of the three alternatives. The subcriterion of global warming potential is significant in the life cycles of all three pipe materials. This innovative model considers a range of relevant technical, economic, and environmental criteria and selects carbon steel pipe as having the highest value among the three alternatives.