Urban network risk assessment using Fuzzy-AHP and TOPSIS in GIS environment

Risk assessment of urban network using traffic indicators determines vulnerable links with high danger of traffic incidents. Thus Determination of an appropriate methodology remains a big challenge to achieve this objective. This paper proposed a methodology based on data fusion concept using Fuzzy-AHP and TOPSIS to achieve this aim. The proposed methodology tries to overcome two main problems, first of all using Fuzzy AHP for weight estimation of risk indicator, overcomes the problem of some famous weighting method such as AHP that uses limited scale of Saaty (1-9) for weight estimation. Because in risk assessment decision maker prefer to compare criteria with a range instead of using exact number such as Saaty scale As a result fuzzy triangular number was proposed in our methodology. What’s more using TOPSIS method is proposed for risk score estimation respecting estimated weight, because all input risk data are numeric furthermore risk evaluation would be done using distance from ideal solution.To test the proposed methodology an urban network in North of Washington was selected as pilot area. In the next step input criteria such as annual average daily traffic (AADT index), accident severity (IR index), average slope and closeness to critical place (that need traffic controlling such as school) were determined as risk indicators using Iranian traffic organization expert’s idea then nonlinear-Fuzzy-AHP was used to estimate weight of input criteria. Estimated weight entered to TOPSIS method to determine vulnerable links that are in high danger of traffic incidents.