{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,20]],"date-time":"2026-10-20T21:21:50Z","timestamp":1792531310207,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,4,14]],"date-time":"2017-04-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1492128000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJGI"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Earthquakes are one of the natural disasters that threaten many lives every year. It is important to estimate seismic damages in advance to be able to reduce future losses. However, seismic vulnerability assessment is a complicated problem, especially in areas with incomplete data, due to incorporated uncertainties. Therefore, it is important to use adequate methods that take into account and handle the associated uncertainties. Although different seismic vulnerability assessment methods at the urban scale have been proposed, the purpose of this research is to introduce a new Geospatial Information System GIS-based model using a modified integration of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), fuzzy sets theory, and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) in a vector-based environment. The proposed method emphasizes handling one of the important uncertainties in areas with incomplete data, namely the \u2018vagueness\u2019 of the existing knowledge about influences of the criteria on seismic vulnerability, which is handled using fuzzy sets theory in this research. The applicability of the proposed method is tested in a municipality district of Tabriz, which is in a near vicinity to the fault system. It can be concluded that the proposed method contributes to a pragmatic and efficient assessment of physical seismic vulnerability under uncertainty, which provides useful information for assisting planners in mitigation and preparation stages in less-studied areas.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijgi6040119","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,4,18]],"date-time":"2017-04-18T11:22:04Z","timestamp":1492514524000},"page":"119","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":33,"title":["A GIS-Based Fuzzy Decision Making Model for Seismic Vulnerability Assessment in Areas with Incomplete Data"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"6","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7391-8056","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mansoureh","family":"Sadrykia","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"GIS Department, School of Surveying and Geospatial Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran 14174-66191, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9654-6491","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mahmoud","family":"Delavar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Excellence in Geomatics Engineering in Disaster Management, School of Surveying and Geospatial Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran 14174-66191, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mehdi","family":"Zare","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center of Excellence in Geomatics Engineering in Disaster Management, School of Surveying and Geospatial Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran 14174-66191, Iran"},{"name":"Seismology Research Center, International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES), Tehran 19537-14453, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,4,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"201","DOI":"10.1007\/s10518-009-9148-z","article-title":"Seismic hazard and risk scenarios for Barcelona, Spain, using the Risk-UE vulnerability index method","volume":"8","author":"Lantada","year":"2010","journal-title":"Bull. Earthq. Eng."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"547","DOI":"10.1080\/1365881031000114071","article-title":"Assessing vulnerability to earthquake hazards through spatial multicriteria analysis of urban areas","volume":"17","author":"Rashed","year":"2003","journal-title":"Int. J. Geogr. Inf. Sci."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"813","DOI":"10.1016\/j.engstruct.2006.06.019","article-title":"Seismic risk of R.C. Building classes","volume":"29","author":"Iervolino","year":"2007","journal-title":"Eng. Struct."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1080\/15732470802663763","article-title":"Seismic vulnerability and risk evaluation methods for urban areas. A review with application to a pilot area","volume":"6","author":"Barbat","year":"2009","journal-title":"Struct. Infrastruct. Eng."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1007\/s11069-006-0008-8","article-title":"Urban seismic risk evaluation: A holistic approach","volume":"40","author":"Cardona","year":"2007","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"493","DOI":"10.1016\/j.habitatint.2004.04.003","article-title":"Management of natural hazard risk in Cartago, Costa Rica","volume":"29","author":"Montoya","year":"2005","journal-title":"Habitat Int."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"66","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)NH.1527-6996.0000082","article-title":"Gis-based seismic damage estimation: Case study for the city of Kelowna, BC","volume":"14","author":"Alam","year":"2013","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards Rev."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1607","DOI":"10.1016\/j.soildyn.2011.07.003","article-title":"A GIS-based earthquake damage assessment and settlement methodology","volume":"31","author":"Hashemi","year":"2011","journal-title":"Soil Dyn. Earthq. Eng."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"324","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cageo.2012.08.016","article-title":"Interactive approach for GIS-based earthquake scenario development and resource estimation (karmania hazard model)","volume":"51","author":"Hassanzadeh","year":"2013","journal-title":"Comput. Geosci."},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"(1999). HAZUS 99 Technical Manual, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"(2000). The Study on Seismic Micro Zoning of the Greater Tehran Area in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran Municipality, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Final Report."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"263","DOI":"10.1016\/j.soildyn.2014.06.026","article-title":"A GIS-based seismic hazard, building vulnerability and human loss assessment for the earthquake scenario in Tabriz","volume":"66","author":"Karimzadeh","year":"2014","journal-title":"Soil Dyn. Earthq. Eng."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"871","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cageo.2008.03.003","article-title":"An intelligent simulation system for earthquake disaster assessment","volume":"35","author":"Tang","year":"2009","journal-title":"Comput. Geosci."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1067","DOI":"10.1007\/s10518-010-9233-3","article-title":"Seismic vulnerability and risk assessment: Case study of the historic city centre of Coimbra, Portugal","volume":"9","author":"Vicente","year":"2011","journal-title":"Bull. Earthq. Eng."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijdrr.2015.06.001","article-title":"Assessing vulnerability of buildings to hydro-meteorological hazards using an expert based approach\u2014An application in Nehoiu valley, Romania","volume":"13","author":"Godfrey","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduct."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"461","DOI":"10.5194\/nhess-15-461-2015","article-title":"Gis modeling of seismic vulnerability of residential fabrics considering geotechnical, structural, social and physical distance indicators in Tehran using multi-criteria decision-making techniques","volume":"15","author":"Rezaie","year":"2015","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1129","DOI":"10.1007\/s11069-012-0209-2","article-title":"Multi-criteria vulnerability analysis to earthquake hazard of Bucharest, Romania","volume":"63","year":"2012","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hizbaron, D.R., Baiquni, M., Sartohadi, J., and Rijanta, R. (2012). Urban vulnerability in Bantul district, Indonesia\u2014Towards safer and sustainable development. Sustainability, 4.","DOI":"10.3390\/su4092022"},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"Servi, M. (2004). Assessment of Vulnerability to Earthquake Hazards Using Spatial Multicriteria Analysis: Odunpazari, Eskisehir Case Study. [Master\u2019s Thesis, Middle East Technical University]."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"680","DOI":"10.1080\/19475705.2014.945100","article-title":"Using spatial multi-criteria analysis and ranking tool (smart) in earthquake risk assessment: A case study of Delhi region, India","volume":"7","author":"Sinha","year":"2016","journal-title":"Geomat. Nat. Hazards Risk"},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Silavi, T., Delavar, M.R., Malek, M.R., Kamalian, N., and Karimizand, K. (2006, January 25\u201326). An integrated strategy for GIS-based fuzzy improved earthquake vulnerability assessment. Proceedings of the Second International Symposium in Geo-Information for Disaster Management, ISPRS, Goa, India."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.1007\/s12518-011-0068-7","article-title":"Tehran\u2019s seismic vulnerability classification using granular computing approach","volume":"3","author":"Delavar","year":"2011","journal-title":"Appl. Geomat."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"209","DOI":"10.1080\/19475683.2014.966858","article-title":"A GIS-based multi-criteria decision-making approach for seismic vulnerability assessment using quantifier-guided owa operator: A case study of Tehran, Iran","volume":"21","author":"Moradi","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ann. GIS"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"965","DOI":"10.3233\/IFS-120698","article-title":"Using fuzzy logic and GIS tools for seismic vulnerability of old fabric in Iranian cities (case study: Zanjan city)","volume":"25","author":"Meshkini","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Intell. Fuzzy Syst."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hwang, C.L., and Yoon, K. (1981). Multiple Attribute Decision Making: Methods and Applications: A State-of-the-Art Survey, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-642-48318-9_3"},{"key":"ref_26","first-page":"380","article-title":"The Assessment of road network vulnerability in formal and informal (slum) urban tissues to earthquake hazards with crisis management approach (Case study: Zone 1 Tabriz)","volume":"3","author":"Kamelifar","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Civ. Eng. Urban."},{"key":"ref_27","first-page":"153","article-title":"The study of efficiency of street networks in earthquake (case study of zones 1 and 5 of Tabriz detailed Pland)","volume":"18","year":"2015","journal-title":"Geogr. Plan."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"Ambraseys, N.N., and Melville, C.P. (1991). A History of Persian Earthquakes, Agah Publishers. (In Persian)."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"53","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jog.2013.02.003","article-title":"Interseismic strain accumulation across the North Tabriz fault (NW Iran) deduced from InSAR time series","volume":"66","author":"Karimzadeh","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Geodyn."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"234","DOI":"10.1016\/0022-2496(77)90033-5","article-title":"A scaling method for priorities in hierarchical structures","volume":"15","author":"Saaty","year":"1977","journal-title":"J. Math. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1108\/19355181200200010","article-title":"Selecting a business college major: An analysis of criteria and choice using the analytical hierarchy process","volume":"17","author":"Strasser","year":"2002","journal-title":"Am. J. Bus."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Saaty, T.L. (1980). The Analytic Hierarchy Process, McGraw-Hill.","DOI":"10.21236\/ADA214804"},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"Malczewski, J. (1999). GIS and Multicriteria Decision Analysis, Wiley."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"Botero Fern\u00e1ndez, V. (2009). Geo-Information for Measuring Vulnerability to Earthquake: A Fitness for Use Approach. [Ph.D. Thesis, ITC]."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"242","DOI":"10.1111\/1540-6237.8402002","article-title":"Social vulnerability to environmental hazards","volume":"84","author":"Cutter","year":"2003","journal-title":"Soc. Sci. Q."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2105","DOI":"10.1007\/s11069-012-0463-3","article-title":"Gis-multicriteria decision analysis for landslide susceptibility mapping: Comparing three methods for the Urmia lake Basin, Iran","volume":"65","author":"Feizizadeh","year":"2013","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s11069-009-9451-7","article-title":"Back analysis of landslide susceptibility zonation mapping for the 2005 kashmir earthquake: An assessment of the reliability of susceptibility zoning maps","volume":"54","author":"Kamp","year":"2010","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cageo.2013.05.010","article-title":"A modified analytical hierarchy process (m-AHP) approach for decision support systems in natural hazard assessments","volume":"59","author":"Nefeslioglu","year":"2013","journal-title":"Comput. Geosci."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"475","DOI":"10.5194\/nhess-12-475-2012","article-title":"Analysis of earthquake parameters to generate hazard maps by integrating AHP and GIS for k\u00fc\u00e7\u00fck\u00e7ekmece region","volume":"12","author":"Erden","year":"2012","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"156","DOI":"10.1016\/0377-2217(90)90073-K","article-title":"Eigenvector and logarithmic least squares","volume":"48","author":"Saaty","year":"1990","journal-title":"Eur. J. Oper. Res."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"338","DOI":"10.1016\/S0019-9958(65)90241-X","article-title":"Fuzzy sets","volume":"8","author":"Zadeh","year":"1965","journal-title":"Inf. Control"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Malczewski, J., and Rinner, C. (2015). Multicriteria Decision Analysis in Geographic Information Science, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-540-74757-4"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zimmermann, H.J. (1991). Fuzzy Set Theory\u2014And Its Applications, Springer Science + Business Media B.V.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-94-015-7949-0"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1601","DOI":"10.1016\/S0898-1221(03)00139-1","article-title":"The canonical representation of multiplication operation on triangular fuzzy numbers","volume":"45","author":"Chou","year":"2003","journal-title":"Comput. Math. Appl."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"387","DOI":"10.1016\/S1364-8152(01)00006-8","article-title":"MCE-Risk: Integrating multicriteria evaluation and GIS for risk decision-making in natural hazards","volume":"16","author":"Chen","year":"2001","journal-title":"Environ. Model. Softw."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"391","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sepro.2011.10.061","article-title":"The application of TOPSIS method in selecting fixed seismic shelter for evacuation in cities","volume":"3","author":"Chu","year":"2012","journal-title":"Syst. Eng. Procedia"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"644","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eswa.2013.07.089","article-title":"Robust spatial flood vulnerability assessment for Han River using fuzzy TOPSIS with \u03b1-cut level set","volume":"41","author":"Lee","year":"2014","journal-title":"Expert Syst. Appl."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"313","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2009.12.011","article-title":"Assessment of non-point source pollution using a spatial multicriteria analysis approach","volume":"222","author":"Zhang","year":"2011","journal-title":"Ecol. Model."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.1007\/s10479-012-1253-8","article-title":"Regional earthquake vulnerability assessment using a combination of MCDM methods","volume":"234","author":"Peng","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ann. Oper. Res."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"432","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-8667.2009.00599.x","article-title":"Comparative analysis of multi-criteria decision-making methods for seismic structural retrofitting","volume":"24","author":"Caterino","year":"2009","journal-title":"Comput.-Aided Civ. Infrastruct. Eng."},{"key":"ref_51","unstructured":"(2014). Iranian Code of Practice for Seismic Resistance Design of Buildings (Standard No. 2800-3rd Ed.), Building and Housing Research Center (BHRC). [4th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_52","unstructured":"Tehrani Zade, M., and Haj Najafi, L. (2008, January 12\u201317). Assessing Seismic Behavior of Eccentrically Braced Frames (EBFs) Due to Near-Field Ground Motions. Proceedings of the 14th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Beijing, China."},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ibrahimbegovic, A., and Kozar, I. (2007). Quantifying uncertainty: Modern computational representation of probability and applications. Extreme Man-Made and Natural Hazards in Dynamics of Structures, Springer Science + Business Media B.V.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4020-5656-7"},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14564","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eswa.2011.05.026","article-title":"Supervised fuzzy logic modeling for building earthquake hazard assessment","volume":"38","year":"2011","journal-title":"Expert Syst. Appl."},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envsoft.2013.06.010","article-title":"The spatial framework for weight sensitivity analysis in AHP-based multi-criteria decision making","volume":"48","author":"Chen","year":"2013","journal-title":"Environ. Model. Softw."},{"key":"ref_56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1973","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eswa.2009.06.080","article-title":"A combined fuzzy MCDM approach for selecting shopping center site: An example from Istanbul, Turkey","volume":"37","author":"Efendigil","year":"2010","journal-title":"Expert Syst. Appl."},{"key":"ref_57","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1851","DOI":"10.1007\/s11069-016-2668-3","article-title":"Rapid visual screening of different housing typologies in Himachal Pradesh, India","volume":"85","author":"Rajaram","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nat. Hazards"},{"key":"ref_58","unstructured":"(2017, February 27). World Housing Encyclopedia\u2014WHE. Available online: http:\/\/db.world-housing.net."}],"container-title":["ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2220-9964\/6\/4\/119\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T18:32:42Z","timestamp":1760207562000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2220-9964\/6\/4\/119"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2017,4,14]]},"references-count":58,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,4]]}},"alternative-id":["ijgi6040119"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijgi6040119","relation":{},"ISSN":["2220-9964"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2220-9964","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2017,4,14]]}}}