Fuzzy evaluation of land-use and transportation options

A methodology is presented for the evaluation of discrete transportation options characterised along multiple dimensions based on fuzzy and linguistic variables. In particular, the methodology recognises the possibility of degrees of uncertainty or imprecision surrounding the outcomes of each option with respect to each dimension and classifies outcomes (or equivalently, dimensions) as 'quantitative precise', 'quantitative imprecise', and 'subjective' (qualitative). Outcomes in the subjective class are represented in terms of linguistic variables whereas those in the first two classes are represented in terms of nonfuzzy (crisp) variables and fuzzy variables, respectively.To illustrate the methodology, an example relating to the evaluation of three transportation options for the small town of Kuranda, North Queensland, Australia, is presented.