Abstract
Traditional grey infrastructure is becoming increasingly inadequate to manage increasing intensity and frequency of extreme rainfall driven by climate change, forcing municipalities to consider more adaptive and multifunctional strategies. This thesis develops a multicriteria decision-support framework to evaluate and compare grey and blue-green stormwater infrastructures across technical, environmental, financial and social dimensions. Eight options were assessed: (1) oversized conduits, (2) underground chambers, (3) permeable pavements, (4) blue roofs, (5) green roofs, (6) rain gardens, (7) bioretention systems and (8) sponge parks, using 14 criteria defined for a $1 M standardized investment scenario. Hydraulic performance modelling is conducted using PCSWMM over a 5,35 km2 urban watershed in Montréal. The results are integrated into a multicriteria analysis using the PROMETHEE II outranking method, representing the first application of this approach within a standardized budget framework for prioritizing adaptation infrastructure in municipal contexts. The approach reflects practical budget allocation processes by evaluating the performance of strategies at the watershed scale rather than isolated project-level interventions. Results indicate a strong performance from green infrastructure strategies (GI): bioretention systems, sponge parks and rain gardens rank highest, while oversized conduits rank last. These findings show that when considering all dimensions, blue-green infrastructures (BGI) outperform conventional grey infrastructure. This thesis highlights the value of an integrated approach that combines hydraulic simulation and multicriteria outranking analysis to support investment decisions for stormwater infrastructure. The proposed framework is robust, reproducible and adaptable, helping municipalities select more sustainable infrastructure and strengthening transparency in the planning process.| Date | 5 Mar 2026 |
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| Original language | French |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Jean-Luc Martel (Supervisor) & Francis Marleau Donais (Co-supervisor) |
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