3.5. Determination of Weight Value for each Criterion using AHP
The AHP is one of the most extended Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) techniques. This
method provides a structural basis for quantifying the comparison of decision elements and criteria in a
pair wise technique [18]. Experts are asked to rank the value of a criterion map for a pair wise matrix on a
Saaty’s scale [19]. The method evaluates relative significance of all parameters by assigning weight foreach of them in the hierarchical order, and in the last level of the hierarchy, the suitability weight for each
class of the used factors is given. Typically, the priority of each factor involved in the AHP analysis is
determined based principally on the suggestions from experts [20]. To ensure the credibility of the
relative significance used, AHP also provides measures to determine inconsistency of judgments
mathematically. Based on the properties of reciprocal matrices, the consistency ratio index (CR) as shown
in Equation (1) can be calculated. Saaty [21] suggests that if CR is smaller than 0.10, then degree of
consistency is fairly acceptable. But if it’s larger than 0.10, then there are inconsistencies in the evaluation
process, and the AHP method may not yield meaningful results.