Application of Delphi-AHP and Fuzzy-GIS Approaches for Site Selection of Large Extractive Industrial Units in Iran
Mohammadreza KAMALI1, Ali Asghar ALESHEIKH2, Zahra KHODAPARAST3, Seyed Mahmoud HOSSEINNIAKANI4, Seyedeh Azadeh ALAVI BORAZJANI5
1 University of Aveiro, Department of Environment and Planning, Aveiro, PORTUGAL
2 K.N. Toosi University of Technology, Department of Geospatial Information Systems, Tehran, IRAN
3 University of Aveiro, Department of Biology, Aveiro, PORTUGAL
4 University of Aveiro, Department of Economic, Management and Industrial Engineering, Aveiro, PORTUGAL
5 University of Shahid Chamran, Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Ahvaz, IRAN
E-mail: Kamali@ua.pt, alesheikh@kntu.ac.ir, Khodaparast@ua.pt, Hosseinnia28m@ua.pt, s_azadeh_alavi@yahoo.com
Pages: 9-17
Abstract. This research was conducted to identify and prioritize the key performance criteria and sub-criteria involving in the site selection of the large extractive industrial units (100,000 t/year), as one of the first steps to prevent the adverse environmental effects of such industrial activities. Along with this purpose, effective environmental (ecologic, economic and social) criteria which may have a significant role in site suitability assessments have been determined using Delphi method. After screening the identified criteria, pair comparisons were carried out among the criteria and sub-criteria, respectively, based on the analytical hierarchy process. Consequently, the priority of each criterion and sub-criterion was determined regarding the purpose of the study. As a result, a linear relationship (defined as ax + b) was identified; based on the criteria normalized relative weights. The results showed that among the identified criteria, the distance to raw material mines would be the most important criterion whereas social variables have received the least importance among the investigated criteria. Then, the results of AHP method were utilized to perform a weighted linear combination in GIS in order to make a prioritization of the suitable sites for establishing a large extractive industrial unit in Iran, as the case study. The obtained results showed a high efficiency of the combination of Delphi-AHP with fuzzy-GIS for prioritization and ranking the influencing criteria and identifying the suitable sites in such applications.
K e y w o r d s: GIS, AHP, Delphi method, large extractive industrial units
