Evaluation of Industrial Development Potential Using a Sustainable Approach Based on VIKOR and ANP Hybrid Methods in a Fuzzy Environment: a Case Study in Azarshahr City, Iran

The strategic advantages of sparsely populated towns near major cities make them suitable for the industrial activities. This study was aimed to identify and rank the industrial estate development environmental factors in order to minimize negative environmental effects. In this study, the criteria for industrial development were first determined; then, the weight of each criterion was obtained through the technique known as Analytical Network Process (ANP). These indices were entered into Geographic Information Systems based on 13 defined layers, then compiled and standardized using the fuzzy method. Afterward, selected options were ranked via the VIKOR technique and the final site for industrial development was determined in a fuzzy GIS. According to the results, the most important industrial estate development suitability criteria assessments were environmental, social, and economic, respectively. The results also showed that the sub-criterion of distance from city was the most important environmental pollution factor. The environmental pollution was considered a sub-criterion of social criteria in this study. Generally, environmental criteria to develop an industrial estate were significantly important and should be duly considered in the development of industrial towns. Additionally, the main cause of environmental problems in industrial towns was their proximity to a city zone. This methodology may provide useful information in the development of industrial settlements and may also reduce environmental pollution.