Earthquake hazard zoning in Kerman Province using GIS and Fuzzy Logic method

This research is performed to investigate earthquake hazard using Geographical Information System (GIS) and Fuzzy Logic method. First, the necessary factors like active faults; historical, pre-instrumental and instrumental earthquakes; focal mechanism of instrumental earthquakes; geomorphology (elevation and dip), toughness of sediments and active tectonic and also their sub-criteria, which impress earthquake hazard are investigated and changed as information layer in GIS. For the first time, preference of sub- criteria like magnitude and depth of the earthquakes have been regarded. Fuzzy Logic (weighting layers and preferencing them using ArcGIS and Expert Choice software) is applied in earthquake hazard investigation. Finally, in earthquake hazard map of Kerman province, achieved information layers in Arc GIS were merged and various areas (earthquake hazard point of view) were classified to high risk (Kuhbanan, Lakarkuh, Golbaf, Bam, Bardsir and Rigan), moderate risk (Shar-e Babak, Sirjan and Rafsanjan) and low risk (west of the province, Lut and Jazmurian) areas.