Potential measurement and spatial priorities determination for gas station construction using WLC and GIS

Abstract

Improper location of gas stations leads to waste of resources, time, and user dissatisfaction. On the other hand, the optimal location of these facilities will have a significant impact not only on the quality of traffic in the network but also on their economic success. The aim of this research is the spatial-physical organization of inner-city structures with an emphasis on the location of gas stations using the weighted linear integrated model method on the GIS platform using the descriptive-analytical method. First, the location of the existing stations and the areas that need gas stations were determined using the weighted linear integrated model (WLC) and ArcGIS. A scoring-based method was used to convert the maps into a standard scale ranging from 0 to 1 and 0 to 255. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method and the Expert Choice app were used to determine the criteria weights. Then, the GIS and WLC capability to provide a suitable model for locating stations was tested. The result states that for the construction of gas stations, the Bahmanyar region will be the priority. North Khani Abad region is the second priority, and South Khani Abad and Esfandiari regions are the following priorities. Finally, with the local investigation of the prioritized areas by WLC, it was found that these areas are suitable for constructing gas stations. This method can be used for finding a suitable location for gas station construction in all other cases.