Seismic Hazard and Site Suitability Evaluation Based on Multicriteria Decision Analysis

Abstract

Effective management and planning for sustainable urban regions’ development require up-to-date information. Natural hazard maps (NHMs) creation is critical for urban development. Urban areas along the western coast of Saudi Arabia are susceptible to natural disasters due to their hazard sources’ proximity, especially, with the lack of preparation. Yanbu’ Al-Bahr, a major Red Sea port, provides an excellent example. This research aims to combine NHMs into a single multi-hazard map, allowing acceptable site identification for urban development. To create a seismic hazard model of the rapidly growing Yanbu’ Al-Bahr region, spatial distributions of different hazard entities were assessed using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). To create a multi-hazard map, six seismic hazard assessment maps were independently developed. Hazard attributes were assimilated into a geographic information system (GIS) platform to delineate seismic hazard zones and build a suitability map for urban development. Weight and rank values were determined during AHP and assigned to each layer and its corresponding classes. By overlaying all the weighted maps, a suitability map was created. This map depicts the research area’s prospective appropriateness for urban growth. Accordingly, the study area was classified into five hazard categories, namely, very-low (VL), low (L), moderate (M), high (H), and very high (VH). Therefore, the limited regions, most appropriate locations, and least suitable areas were identified. Accordingly, stakeholders can use the produced seismic hazard map as a platform for future land-use planning and environmental hazard management. Furthermore, the AHP-GIS model would deliver more precise findings in urban development site selection studies.