On-line Abstract

Weigkricht, E. and Fedra, K. (1995)

Decision Support Systems for Dangerous Goods Transportation. INFOR vol 32, no. 5. May 1995, pp 84-99.

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Abstract

The management of hazardous substances requires a combination of a large amount of complex technical and scientific facts, as well as subjective values, arbitrary judgement, and fuzzy policy objectives. The increasing size and complexity of activities involving hazardous substances requires higher emphasis on the risk assessment in potentially harmful operations.

Furthermore, the transportation of hazardous materials poses a considerable risk to public health and the environment. There are many people involved, all with different kinds of information requirements. The analysis of alternative policies and operational choices for transportation by road, rail, or rivers given a spatial pattern of production and storage facilities, consumption, environment and population, should be based on a detailed scientific assessment of numerous alternatives, involving technological, environmental, socio-economic and political elements in a comprehensive and directly usable form of risk analysis

This paper describes three information and decision support systems which improve the availability and fast access to relevant data and information, and support quick and effective generation, display, analysis, evaluation and comparison of different alternatives. Some basic principles and building blocks are discussed.