OPERATIONAL RESEARCH IN ACCESSIBILITY ASSESSMENT: A MULTI-CRITERIA EVALUATION FRAMEWORK FOR OLD COMMUNITY REFURBISHMENT ACCEPTANCE UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS

This study develops a multidimensional evaluation framework based on operational research to assess public space accessibility and refurbishment in ageing urban communities. Using the Baiwanzhuang, Erqi, and Enjili neighbourhoods in Beijing as case studies, the research investigates structural, ecological, and accessibility challenges commonly found in older residential areas. A structured questionnaire survey was conducted with local residents to gather insights on public space performance, particularly under emergency conditions. The evaluation incorporates key accessibility standards, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ISO 21542:2011, and China’s GB50763. To manage uncertainty in community renewal planning, the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (Fuzzy-AHP) is used to determine weights and prioritise 20 important assessment factors, including green coverage, spatial accessibility, and spatial complexity. The framework enhances the precision of refurbishment strategies, ensuring they are responsive to both resident needs and environmental guidelines. This research offers scientific support for implementing cost-effective and accessible solutions to promote effective urban renewal and disaster resilience in ageing communities. The evaluation results from the investigation demonstrate that the proposed methodology consistently yields lower levels of uncertainty across all six assessment dimensions when compared to the AHP and Fuzzy Logic approaches. Notably, the framework exhibits enhanced performance in key areas such as risk assessment (0.20), interpretability (0.15), stakeholder integration (0.10), and decision robustness (0.13). These findings indicate that the proposed model supports more reliable and transparent decision-making processes, particularly under conditions of uncertainty. The proposed framework has practical applications in urban renewal, accessibility planning, and sustainable infrastructure development.