Decision-Making Process for Improved Sustainable Maintenance Strategies of Naval Systems

This paper formalizes a decision-making process to efficiently prioritize failure modes for naval subsystems. This work of research extends the results obtained in a previous paper [1] concerning a framework aimed at formalizing guidelines in failure analysis and risk prioritization for an autonomous ship navigation system. The assignment of significant failure modes to ordered risk classes was an important result reached in the mentioned paper. The focus is now on the highest risk class to explore the increment of new criteria while contemplating different weight scenarios. Specifically, the present research proposes a combined approach to identify the most critical failure mode requiring management under resource and time constraints, involving different experts with conflicting interests. The approach is based on Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods, in particular the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the ELimination Et Choix Traduisant la REalité I (ELECTRE I). In addition to the criteria typically considered within the framework of the Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA), that are occurrence, detection, and severity, the additional subset of criteria characterizing the decision-making process is herein represented by Economic Factors (EC), Sustainability Maintenance Strategies (SMS), and Management and Data Security (MDS).