Advanced Applied Geology

Advanced Applied Geology

Evaluation and zoning of flood risk using decision-level fusion of AHP and FuzzyAHP methods (Case study: Khuzestan Province)

Authors
Sajad Zareie
Fatemeh Ghazali Zadeh
Department of Remote Sensing and GIS, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
10.22055/aag.2026.50837.2540
Abstract
Remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), utilizing satellite imagery and flood zonation mapping, have proven highly effective in identifying flood-affected areas and minimizing damages. This research was conducted to identify flood-prone areas in Khuzestan and reduce resulting damages. Flood hazard zonation was performed by methods of AHP and Fuzzy AHP. An innovation of this study is decision-level fusion of these two methods to leverage their respective strengths. For this purpose, following indices were used: distance from waterways, distance from roads, average rainfall over a 5-year period, Topographic Wetness (TWI), NDVI, drainage density, soil permeability, land use, slope, and elevation. Results indicated that in both used methods, the largest percentage area belonged to the high-risk class (AHP: 29%, Fuzzy AHP: 31%). Fusion of the two methods acted in such a way that the percentage of low-risk and no-risk classes decreased, while the percentage of the high-risk class (40%)—which is significant class for flood risk—increased. By comparing zonation maps from each method with the actual flood map of Khuzestan province from the 2019-2020 period, it was determined that in the AHP method's zonation map, only 59% of the selected points were located in the high-risk zone, and in the Fuzzy AHP method, 65% of the selected points were in the high-risk zone. In contrast, in the zonation map resulting from the fusion of the two methods, 70% of the selected points were located in the high-risk zone. This demonstrates the superiority of the fused method over each individual method used alone.
Keywords
AHP
FuzzyAHP
Khuzestan Province
Flood risk
Fusion
Subjects
Abedini, M., Beheshti Javid, E., 2016. Flood Hazard Mapping of Lighvan Chai Watershed Using Network Analysis Process Model (ANP) and GIS. Geographic Space 16, 293-312. http://geographical-space.iau-ahar.ac.ir/article-1-1682-en.html
Amiri, P., Arab-Amiri, A., Mahdis, H., 2018. Prioritization of Flood-proneness in Maharloo Watershed Sub-basins in Fars Province Using Morphometric Parameters and VIKOR Decision-Making Model. Ecohydrology 5, 827-813. https://doi.org/10.22059/ije.2018.244246.763
Chen, H., Chen, J., Guoru, W., 2021. Towards Better Flood Risk Management: Assessing Flood Risk and Investigating the Potential Mechanism Based on Machine Learning Models. Journal of Environmental Management 293, 112-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112810
Chen, Y., 2022. Flood Hazard Zone Mapping Incorporating Geographic Information System (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) Techniques. Journal of Hydrology 612, 128-268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128268
Ganji, K., Gharechelou, S., Ahmadi, A., Alan Johnson, B., 2022. Riverine Flood Vulnerability Assessment and Zoning Using Geospatial Data and MCDA Method in Aq’Qala. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 82, 103-345. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103345
Gholizadeh, E., Ghanoati, E., Afshar-Manesh, H., Pourhojat, A., 2017. Assessment of the Vulnerability of Riverine Cities and Their Coping Capacity against Floods (Case Study: Ahvaz Metropolis). Geographical Space 17, 227-245. https://doi.org/10.1142/S2345748123500173
Istak, A., Nibedita, D., Jatan, D., Moujuri, B., Shaswati, B., 2022. Flood Hazard Zonation Using GIS-based Multi-parametric Analytical Hierarchy Process. Geosystems and Geoenvironment 3, 100-250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geogeo.2023.100250
Jokar Sarhangi, I., Esmaeili, R., Babaali Pour, S., 2018. Investigating the Relationship Between Geological and Topographic Factors with Drainage Density in Behrestagh Basin. Hydrogeomorphology 5, 135-156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geogeo.2023.100250
Khaleghi, B., Razavi, S., Khamis, A., Karray, F., Kamel, M., 2009. Multisensor Data Fusion: Antecedents and Directions, 3rd International Conference on Signals, Circuits and Systems (SCS), Medenine, Tunisia, pp. 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICSCS.2009.5412296
Moradi, F., Azmoudeh Ardalan, A., Pahlavani, P., 2021. Site selection for Network Real-Time Kinematic stations on the South Coast using Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process. Scientific-Research Quarterly of Geographical Information "Sepehr" 30, 19-32. https://doi.org/10.22131/sepehr.2021.244448
Nasrin Nejad, N., Rangzan, K., Kalantari, N., Saberi, A., 2014. Flood hazard potential zonation of Baghan watershed using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process method (FAHP). Geospatial systems development 5, 15-34. https://sid.ir/paper/189464/fa. 34-15:(4)5
Nekouei, E., Wei, S., Baras, J., Skoglund, M., Johansson, K., 2019. Optimal Decision Fusion Under Order Effects. IFAC PapersOnLine 51, 53–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2019.01.022
Nguyen, D., Do, T., Van Nghiem, S., Ghimire, J., Dang, K., Giang, V., Vu, K., Pham, V., 2024. Flood Inundation Assessment of UNESCO World Heritage Sites Using Remote Sensing and Spatial Metrics in Hoi An City, Vietnam. Ecological Informatics 79, 102-427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2023.102427
Nikpour, N., Negarash, H., Fotouhi, S., Hosseini, S., Bahrami, Sh., 2019. Monitoring the trend of vegetation changes one of the most important indicators of land degradation (in Ilam province). Journal of Spatial Analysis Environmental Hazards 5, 21-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.29252/jsaeh.5.4.21
Razmi, M., Asgari, H., Dadallahi-Sohrab, A., Nazemolsadat, S., Khazaei, S., 2017. Evaluation of the optimum index and MNDWI in examining coastline changes in the northern Persian Gulf (case study: Dayyer). Remote Sensing and GIS in Natural Resources 26, 52-65. https://dorl.net/dor/http://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.26767082.1396.8.1.4.7
Rostami, F., Tavakoli, M., Rostami, N., Ebrahimi, H., 2021. Investigation of Flood Hazard Potential in Watersheds Using AHP (Case Study: Ilam City Watershed). Comprehensive Watershed Management 1, 16-1. https://doi.org/10.22034/iwm.2021.247934
Saha, A., Agrawal, S., 2020. Mapping and Assessment of Flood Risk in Prayagraj District, India: A GIS and Remote Sensing Study. Nanotechnology for Environmental Engineering 5, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41204-020-00073-1
Sajadi, M., Ahmadi, A., Bigdeli, B., 2020. Landslide hazard zonation based on fuzzy-analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) and Multi-criteria decision analysis (Case study: Marbar river basin). Journal of RS and GIS for Natural Resources 11, 2546. https://dorl.net/dor/http://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.26767082.1399.11.4.2.2
Salehiyan Ghamsari, S., Arefi, H., Shah Hosseini, R., 2019. Change Detection in Urban Area Using Decision Level Fusion of Change Maps Extracted from Optic and SAR Images. Journal of Geomatics Science and Technology 8, 7190. http://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.2322102.1398.8.4.6.3
Sharifi Pichoun, M., Parnoun, F., 2017. Evaluation and Analysis of Geometric Changes in the Longitudinal and Cross-sectional Profiles of Ghareh Sou River During 1955-2014. Geography and Development 15, 60-43. https://doi.org/10.22111/gdij.2017.3030
Sharifi Pichoun, M., Parnoun, F., 2018. Evaluation and Spatial Analysis of Flooding in Ghareh Sou River Using Fuzzy Logic in GIS Environment. Natural Environmental Hazards 7, 17-30. https://doi.org/10.22111/jneh.2017.3203.
Taherizadeh, M., Niknam, A., Huy, T., Mezosi, G., Sarli, R., 2023. Flash Flood-risk Areas Zoning Using Integration of Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory, GIS-based Analytic Network Process and Satellite-derived Information. Natural Hazards 118, 2309–2335. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-023-06089-5
Yousefi Roshan, M., 2022. Estimation of Lake Urmia water area using Landsat 8 satellite imagery using MNDWI Index. Geography (Scientific Quarterly of the Iranian Geographical Society) 20, 165-186. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/http://dor.net/dor/20.1001.1.27833739.1401.20.74.9.9
Yousefzadeh, A., Zeinali, B., Valizadeh Kamran, Kh., Asghari Saraskanroud, S., 2019. The Extraction of Flood Potential of Simineh River Basin Applying Satellite Images, Topographic Wetness Index and Morphological Features. Geography and Sustainability of Environment 9, 49-61. https://doi.org/10.22126/ges.2019.4294.2071
Ziyari, K., Rajaee, S., Darabkhani, R., 2021. Flood Zoning Using Hierarchical Analysis and Fuzzy Logic in GIS Case Study: Ilam City. Crisis Management 10, 21-30. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.23453915.1400.
Advanced Applied Geology
Volume 15, Issue 4
Autumn 2026
Pages 64-86