New approach to develop knowledge-based system

for environmental conflicts analysis using fuzzy logic

and grey systems
Mario G. Borja Borja1, Alexi Delgado1, Sergio Lescano2, Jaime E. Luyo1
1 Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería - Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica - Área de Mecatrónica, Lima, Perú
2 FEMTO-ST Institute (CNRS umr 6174), France
mborjab@uni.edu.pe

Abstract— The analysis of environmental conflicts is of vital
importance to verify the viability and analyze the impact of
projects in environments with a social presence
The grey systems facilitate the obtaining of knowledge in
environments that are not very clear or with little information and
the diffuse logic allows through linguistic variables and fuzzy sets
to represent the conceptual knowledge in the computer and the IF-
THEN rules allow to make the inference based on those concepts
and give conceptual results easily accessible to people.
In this paper we propose a approach to develop systems based
on knowledge using grey systems and fuzzy logic for analysis of
environmental conflicts during all phases of projects
A test is carried out using the case study data in [1] of a mining
project in northern Peru and a knowledge-based system that can
be used for the analysis of environmental conflicts during all
phases of the project or for analysis in environments with similar
characteristics is implemented.
Keywords — fuzzy logic; Social impact; grey system;
knowledge-based system.
I. INTRODUCTION
The methods of analysis of environmental conflicts are of
vital importance to carry out environmental impact studies of
projects that take place in environments with a social presence
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5], in general, these methods are applied
manually and are performed at the start of a project, however
environmental conflicts can arise in a project at any stage of the
project, even during exploitation and later, so a tool is required
that allows apply the analysis at any time, knowledge-based
systems also known as expert systems [6] [7] they are a suitable
alternative to solve this problem.
The analysis of environmental conflicts [1] is done using the
gray clustering methodology based on grey systems [8]
combined with the entropy-weight method [9] and we can see
that the method represents the multiple criteria data by means
of gray classes and uses the entropy-weight method to
determine the influence of these criteria.
The proposal in the present work is to use the data of the
criteria represented by the gray classes as knowledge to infer
the influence using the IF-THEN rules [10] which allows the
knowledge of the criteria to be computerized through linguistic
variables [11] that represent the gray classes and build the
inference engine using the IF-THEN rules.
The proposed approach consists of defining the criteria and
grey cases, creating the knowledge base with linguistic
variables and creating the inference engine with the IF-THEN
rules.
In section II, the system development method based on
knowledge is presented, section III shows an application of the
method used in a study carried out in [1], in section IV the
results are presented and finally the coclusions in Section VI
II. APPROACH TO DEVELOP KNOWLEDGE-BASED SYSTEM
To develop the knowledge-based system, the following
method is proposed:
A. Criteria and grey classes
Define the criteria and grey classes [1].
B. Knowledge base
To create the computational knowledge base, a set of
linguistic variables is used, where each linguistic variable
corresponds to a chosen criterion for the analysis and is
represented as shown in the fig. 1.
Each class of criterion is a concept or qualification on the
criterion that can be represented with a diffuse set with
triangular belonging function in the intermediate concepts and
the ends with trapezoidal functions.
Fig. 1. Representation of the classes of a criterion
C. Inference engine
In order to make the inference using the knowledge base
created with linguistic variables, IF-THEN rules [11] are used,

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which analyze the criteria represented and give a conceptual C7 55.1-61.8 61.8-68.5 68.5- 75.2- 81.9-88.6
result of the influence of the criteria on environmental aspects. 75.2 81.9

D. User interface To represent each criterion of table N. 1 a linguistic variable

The user interface constitutes the computer software is used and the linguistic values or concepts are the ratings
interface that interacts with the user to perform queries to the represented with the grey classes of table N. 2, where the
knowledge-based system. extremes are represented are represented with fuzzy sets with
the function of belonged trapezoidal and intermediate classes
E. Learning module with fuzzy sets with functions of triangular belonged as shown
in Figure N. 2.
The module allows knowledge to be entered into the
computer to create the knowledge base and can be automated The center of each class is presented in table N. 3 and for
through software interfaces or manual data entry. the classes of the extremes is the value for which the value of
the membership function is 1.
III. CASE STUDY Table N. 3. Center of grey classes for each criterion
As test data we used the case study in [1] carried out in a Code Grey classes
poly metals mining expansion plant, where three stakeholder Very negative Negative Normal Positive Very positive
C1 650.50 729.00 807.50 886.50 965.00
groups were identified: Urban Population (G1), rural
C2 64.00 68.45 72.90 77.35 81.80
population (G2) and specialists (G3). C3 48.95 41.85 34.75 27.65 20.55
In this study [1], seven criteria were identified that are C4 2838.50 2463.50 2088.50 1713.50 1338.50
C5 93.45 94.35 95.25 96.15 97.05
presented in table N. 1 and their corresponding grey classes
C6 8363.00 6938.50 5514.00 4089.50 2665.00
presented in table N. 2. C7 58.45 65.15 71.85 78.55 85.25
Table N. 1. Criteria identified for the case study In fig. N. 2 each concept of a knowledge domain is
Criterion Code Description represented by a diffuse set and the value of belonging for each
GDP per capita C1 The GDP per capita as soles per quantity of the linguistic variable or domain of knowledge can
month (annual average) in the be found.
department of Cajamarca.
Employment rate C2 The employment rate per year
in the department of Cajamarca.
Poverty rate C3 The poverty rate per
year in the region.
Poverty rate C3 The poverty rate per year in the
region.
Number of inhabitants C4 The number of inhabitants per
per doctor (GP) doctor (GP) per year in the
department of Cajamarca.
Enrolment rate in C5 he enrolment rate per year in
primary education primary education in the region.
Number of reported C6 The number of reported crimes per
crimes year in the department of
Cajamarca.
Access to drinking C7 The access to drinking water rate per
water rate year in the department of
Cajamarca.

Table N. 2. Grey classes for each criterion

Code Grey classes
very negative Negative Normal Positive Very positive
C1 611 - 690 690 - 768 768 - 847 - 926 - 1004
847 926
C2 61.8 - 66.2 66.2 – 70.7 70.7- 75.1- 79.6-84.0
75.1 79.6
C3 45.4-52,5 38.3-45.4 31.2- 24.1- 17.0-24.1
38.3 31.2
C4 2651-3026 2276-2651 1901- 1526- 1151-1526
2276 1901
C5 93.0-93.9 93.9-94.8 94.8- 95.7- 96.6-97.5
95.7 96.6
C6 7651-9075 6226-7651 4802- 3377- 1953-3377
6226 4802
Fig. N 2. Membership functions of linguistic variables.

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 In fig. N. 2 the representation of V1 is Very Negative, V2 is
Negative, V3 is Normal, V4 is Positive and V5 - is Very
Positive and are the conceptual values used for each linguistic
variable or domain used.
Using IF- THEN rules based on the conceptual values
defined for each domain of knowledge, we can construct the
inference engine and in this case we have seven linguistic
variables with five concepts each which would give a lot of
combinations or rules.
In this way we can formulate the rules:
IF (C1=V1) & (C2=V1) & (C3=V1) & (C4=V1) & (C5=V1) &
(C6=V1) & (C7=V1) THEN (R=V1)
IF (C1=V1) & (C2=V5) & (C3=V5) & (C4=V5) & (C5=V5) &
(C6=V5) & (C7=V1) THEN (R=V1)
IF (C1=V5) & (C2=V5) & (C3=V5) & (C4=V5) & (C5=V5) &
(C6=V5) & (C7=V5) THEN (R=V5)
If the number of rules that cover all the influential
combinations in the problem is formulated, we can have a
knowledge-based system such that entering the numerical value
of the seven domains of knowledge will give a conceptual result
of the environmental impact.
IV. RESULTS
Based on the identified criteria and their corresponding
classes, the linguistic variables or domains of knowledge with
the conceptual values were found.
The linguistic variables were represented by fuzzy sets with
shown in Fig. N. 2 that can be easily represented in the
computer by means of their equivalent mathematical formulas
of trapezoidal and triangular functions.
Using the conceptual values of the knowledge domains or
linguistic variables, the IF-THEN rules are formulated, which
allow the inference based on conceptual values and result in a
conceptual value.
V. CONCLUSIONS
The use of grey systems allows the identification and
representation of knowledge for the analysis of environmental
conflicts.
The criteria and classes of knowledge represented by grey
systems can be converted into linguistic variables or domains
of knowledge that can be represented with fuzzy sets that can
easily be stored on a computer.
The application of IF-THEN rules allows the creation of an
inference engine based on concepts from the knowledge
domains used and gives more accessible conceptual results for
users.
This procedure allows to create a system based on
knowledge that can be used for the analysis of environmental
conflicts during all phases of the project through a collection of
numerical data.
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This system can be applied to analyze environmental
conflicts in similar environments.
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