A Robust Evaluation Framework for Smart Cities in Egypt: Integrating Type-2 Neutrosophic Sets with LBWA and EDAS Methods

Abstract

The rapid pace of urbanization has driven the global rise of smart cities, which leverage technology to improve the quality of life for citizens and address key challenges such as sustainability, livability, and economic growth. This paper presents a comprehensive framework for evaluating smart cities in Egypt using advanced Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods, incorporating Type-2 Neutrosophic Numbers (T2NN), the Logarithmic Best-Worst Approach (LBWA), and the Evaluation Based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS) method. These methods were chosen to effectively handle the uncertainties and imprecision that characterize decision-making in complex urban systems. The study identifies six key criteria—Cultural Interaction, Economy, Research & Development (R&D), Livability, Environment, and Accessibility—to assess the performance of smart cities in Egypt, including emerging projects. By applying T2NN to model uncertainty and indeterminacy, LBWA to determine the relative importance of criteria, and EDAS to rank alternatives, the study provides a robust, systematic evaluation framework. The findings underscore the potential of T2NN-LBWA-EDAS in smart city evaluation, providing valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners as they work towards creating sustainable, innovative, and livable urban environments. This approach can be extended to other domains of urban planning and applied to evaluate smart cities globally. Future research could integrate real-time data and other MCDM methods to further enhance the decision-making process in the smart city context.