Mathematical Tool for Choosing the Best Material for Producing Masks

De Oliveira, Helenice; Petrovic, Sanja; Cantane, Daniela Renata

Abstract

There are specific rules for making professional face masks. Theserules establish quality standards for masks that are used by medicalprofessionals. The quality standards are based on the filtering powerof bacteria and viruses, fluid resistance, breathability, etc. During periods of pandemic acute respiratory infections, the World Health Organization(WHO) use to recommend that professional masks should be apriority for medical professionals, for people who provide hospital andhome medical assistance and for people with comorbidities.For other people, isrecommended the use of non-professional masks.This type of mask generally is made from fabric and sold by artisans, or madeby users themselves from the material that is within the reach. Unlikeprofessional masks, there is no established norm or standard for theassessment of non-professional masks. Many studies have been carriedout in order to measure the filtering efficiency of viruses, bacteria andthe breathability of various materials for homemade masks, yet, noconclusions have been made on which type of mask is the best. Weuse an Operational Research approach to solve the problem of choosingthe best mask to be produced from a set of masks made from differentmaterials. We propose a mathematical optimization model which isformulated using the Extended Goal Programming. Computationalexperiments were conducted to analyze the trade-off between differentperformance measures of materials in the selection of the best mask.This model serves as a very useful tool to be used in the selection ofthe type of non-professional mask to be made.

Citation

De Oliveira, H., Petrovic, S., & Cantane, D. R. (2021). Mathematical Tool for Choosing the Best Material for Producing Masks. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 10(2), 1440-1447

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 25, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Feb 25, 2021
• Publication Date: Feb 25, 2021
• Deposit Date: Jul 26, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 26, 2021
• Journal: International Journal of Science and Research
• Electronic ISSN: 2319-7064
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 1440-1447
• Keywords: Cloth mask; Pandemic; Filtering Efficiency Measures; Multicriteria Optimization; Goal Programming
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5833272
• Publisher URL: https://www.ijsr.net/get_count.php?paper_id=SR21224184010