Application of Analytical Hierarchy Process to Compare Simple and Modified RIAM methods, (Case study: Environmental Impact Assessment of Tiam Steel Plants)

Nowadays, considering environmental issues as a necessity for construction and operation of plenty of major plans is important to achieve sustainable development in the country. In this regard, the environmental assessment is an appropriate tool to achieve the sustainable development objectives. Thus, environmental impacts assessment of establishing Tiam Bistoon Company’s steel and roll factory can reduce costs by providing the proper and reasonable techniques of human and natural resources, and so, has a great effect on short-term and long-term planning. The object of this study is comparing simple and modified RIAM methodes, by using of AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) in environmental impact assessment of Tiam Bistoon Company’s steel and roll factory in two construction and operation phases; and selecting the more appropriate method in prioritization of the impacts.
In this study, at first, by reviewing the important criteria in the impact assessment methods, three criteria including the impacts identification, the results interpretation and the impacts value were selected as the important criteria. In the next step, by using of AHP and paired comparison of the criteria in two simple and modified matrixes, the priority of any particular method was determined.
The results showed that the modified matrix with a score of 0.75 was preferred compared to a simple matrix.
Bydesigningthe modified RIAM method, the environmental impact assessment becomes more accurate and sensitive by removing simple matrix problems