Optimal Material Selection Algorithm for Post-Disaster Shelters Applying Analytic Hierarchy Process: A Case Study of Refugee Shelters in Germany

Human-made and natural disaster have caused devastating loss of life and property damage, resulting in deaths and a significant homeless population. Under such circumstances, temporary housing is a crucial determinant of survival for the displaced people in urgent need of housing and sanitation facilities. The post-disaster emergency shelter is a solution to deal with the crises and reducing vulnerability. Since environment, economic, and social situations vary throughout the world, the most appropriate shelter materials and methods to be used also differ. Currently, there is a lack of an effective evaluation protocol to determine the most appropriate solution for these emergency situations. The optimal shelter material and method should consider multiple objectives such as durability, ease of assembly, assembly time, initial cost, and maintenance costs. This study develops a novel multi-criteria decision making algorithm using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to determine the optimum combination of materials and construction methods to be used in the shelter’s wall panel. The conclusion simplifies the shelter material selection process, ultimately enhancing reliability and improving the living conditions of the displaced population in the most cost-effective way. To demonstrate the methodology, this research presents a case study included the available products currently on the market and created a mathematical and logical model.