Issues in Societal Optimal Engineering Decision Making

Authors

Michael H. Faber and Marc A. Maes

Abstract

Optimal decision making in the context of engineering is addressed from the perspective of society; the aim of optimal decision making being understood as to provide an informed basis for the identification of sustainable societal developments. The paper sets out with a discussion of the issues which presently are of main concern in engineering decision making from a societal perspective. Following this a suggestion is outlined for the hierarchical representation of the typical societal organizational instruments for ensuring such optimal decision making; this representation defines the boundary conditions for the optimization of engineering decision making. Thereafter, with basis in the Bayesian decision theory, the main constituents of decision making are highlighted and the various problems in the representation and treatment of these in the context of decision making are discussed in the light of the most recent developments of research in these areas. This includes the representation of society in decision making, decision making subject to uncertainty and lack of knowledge, treatment of risk per-ception, reconciliation of expert opinions, consistent risk assessment and aspects of socio-economically sustainability.

Published in/by

Accepted for publication in Structure and Infrastructure Engineering (special ed. John D. Sørensen).