Urban Vulnerability Assessment Using AHP

Alireza Rezaei,Sadra Tahsili

doi:10.1155/2018/2018601

Alireza Rezaei, Sadra Tahsili

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/2018601

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Abstract

Purpose. Physical expansion of urban areas and cities is of great importance nowadays. Irreparable damages will thus be caused by lack of proper planning against natural disasters. Crisis management will therefore guide through prevention, preparedness, disaster relief, and recovery by planning an appropriate program. Methodology. Principal processes of crisis management against earthquake in Iran were evaluated and discussed. Multicriteria earthquake crisis management was then proposed by means of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Vulnerability of 19 urban areas in Qazvin city was studied and analyzed as a case study. Three main criteria were considered as “physical dimensions and physical vulnerability texture,” “the amount of urban texture responsibility to aid after crisis,” and “possibility of city reversibility after the crisis.” These criteria were divided into 20 subcriteria which were prioritized by a questionnaire survey. Findings. “High population density,” “urban texture of old and repairable buildings,” “lack of relief and medical services,” “a few organic texture areas,” “sidewalks with less than 6 meters width in the region,” and “lack of open spaces in the area” were concluded to be the most important reasons causing high vulnerability of urban texture in Qazvin city.

Highlights

Urban sprawl, urbanization, and the gradual increase in the number of cities are important issues in developing countries
Among the subcriteria related to urban texture responsiveness after the crisis and relief, “Access to relief services in the region” was the most important from the viewpoint of respondents (Table 6)
Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) results and considering the priority coefficients and pairwise comparisons of the subcriteria under four criteria of “Management and decision making,” “Implementation and operation,” “Monitoring,” and “Support” in three stages of precrisis, during crisis, and postcrisis resulted in Tables 13–15 which are the focal point of the present research study

Summary

Introduction

Urbanization, and the gradual increase in the number of cities are important issues in developing countries. E occurrence of natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes most often have a devastating impact on human settlements and heavy casualties against their inhabitants. Due to their unexpected nature and the need to take quick and correct decisions and actions, the theoretical basis of these decisions has led to a discipline called disaster management. Some main criteria which must be considered in disaster management are proper urban planning, urban land use, connection network, and urban infrastructures, which in turn will greatly reduce the effects and consequences of natural disasters. Qazvin city has high vulnerability facing natural disasters such as earthquake since it is located among the Alborz range of mountains and floodways inside it. A mathematical model was developed to analyze and evaluate vulnerability of each region of the city

Principles of Crisis Management

Crisis Management Methodology and Vulnerability Assessment Model

Data Collection and Analysis

Results and Discussions

Conclusions