Abstract
Risk interactions exist between functional and physical elements within a system and its
sub-systems in various ”dimensions” such as spatial interaction, information exchange,
material transfer, energy exchange etc. The interactions are of a multi-dimensional
complexity that cannot be sufficiently interpreted using conventional management tools
(PERT, Gantt and CPM methods). Alternative system representation and analysis
techniques are proposed, in particular the design structure matrix (DSM), and fuzzy logic
thinking to quantify the risk management effort necessary to deal with uncertain and
imprecise interactions. A Cement Grinding Plant case study is utilized to elaborate on the
risk management methodology.