This article introduces an integrated circular Pythagorean fuzzy MCDM framework for selecting suppliers in a cracker supply chain. It combines a method for weighting evaluation criteria with a compromise-based method for ranking supplier alternatives.
Article Info
- Authors: M Maheshpraba and M Kameswari
- Journal: Intelligent Decision Technologies
- Volume and issue: Volume 20, Issue 1
- Pages: 485–505
- Issue published: January 2026
- First published online: 22 January 2026
- DOI: 10.1177/18724981251396243
- Affiliations: Department of Mathematics, School of Advanced Sciences, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnan Koil, Tamil Nadu, India (both authors)
Research problem
Supplier selection in the cracker supply chain involves multiple conflicting criteria, including cost, quality, distance, and reliability. The article notes that conventional integrations of Pythagorean Fuzzy AHP and Pythagorean Fuzzy VIKOR use linear structures that may not represent the circular and nonlinear uncertainty found in expert evaluations.
Integrated methodology
The proposed framework uses Circular Pythagorean Fuzzy AHP (CPF-AHP) to derive the weights of evaluation criteria. Its circular fuzzy representation is intended to capture uncertainty and inconsistency in expert opinions. Circular Pythagorean Fuzzy VIKOR (CPF-VIKOR) then ranks the supplier alternatives by seeking a compromise solution that considers the best possible outcome and minimal regret.
In this sequence, CPF-AHP establishes the relative importance of the criteria, while CPF-VIKOR uses those weights to compare suppliers. The article positions the integration as a systematic way to aggregate multi-expert input in a setting with vague assessments and nonlinear relationships.
Reported contribution and application
The authors report that the CPF-based framework addresses ambiguity, circular aspects, and inconsistency in expert assessments. They describe its performance as superior to traditional PF-AHP and PF-VIKOR approaches, particularly for handling nonlinear interrelationships among decision criteria. The method is presented as adaptable to other supply-chain decisions with similar complexity and uncertainty.
Cite this paper
APA: Maheshpraba, M., & Kameswari, M. (2026). Multi expert cracker supplier selection using integration of circular Pythagorean Fuzzy AHP and circular Pythagorean Fuzzy VIKOR technique. Intelligent Decision Technologies, 20(1), 485–505. https://doi.org/10.1177/18724981251396243
MLA: Maheshpraba, M., and M. Kameswari. “Multi Expert Cracker Supplier Selection Using Integration of Circular Pythagorean Fuzzy AHP and Circular Pythagorean Fuzzy VIKOR Technique.” Intelligent Decision Technologies, vol. 20, no. 1, 2026, pp. 485–505. https://doi.org/10.1177/18724981251396243.
IEEE: M. Maheshpraba and M. Kameswari, “Multi expert cracker supplier selection using integration of circular Pythagorean Fuzzy AHP and circular Pythagorean Fuzzy VIKOR technique,” Intelligent Decision Technologies, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 485–505, 2026, doi: 10.1177/18724981251396243.
Source
Visit the publisher’s page to review this article and abstract. View the article on SAGE Journals.
Combine fuzzy AHP weighting with VIKOR ranking for multi-criteria supplier decisions.