A novel decision-making approach for risk assessment of converter steelmaking process based on fuzzy DEMATEL method

Converter steelmaking is a critical process in steel production, facing various failure modes with severe safety and operational risks. However, comprehensive risk assessments in this area remain limited. This paper introduces a novel fuzzy decision-making approach, combining the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method with failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), to assess risks under uncertainty. Based on expert input, 29 failure modes are identified and evaluated using fuzzy sets to account for uncertainty in expert judgment across risk factors such as occurrence, severity, and detectability. The fuzzy DEMATEL method is applied to determine the significance and interrelationships of these failure modes, producing a cause–effect diagram. A case study validates the effectiveness of the approach, identifying lack of regulation as the most influential failure mode and bulk material system failure as the most significant in overall impact. The study provides a refined and reliable risk assessment framework, offering valuable insights for industrial practitioners to implement targeted preventive measures, ultimately improving the safety and reliability of converter steelmaking.