Suitability Assessment Constraints of Potential Aggregate Resources Using an Integrated GIS Approach

Abstract

The commercial use of aggregate is ubiquitous in the construction of buildings and roads because aggregates provide strength, resistance, and support. This paper analyzes the constraints of aggregate rock use in Kurram district, Northwest Pakistan, and to demarcate aggregate resource locations using GIS techniques, weighted overlay analysis, and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The undertaken study has considered several appropriate socioeconomic and environmental factors such as land use, distance from highways, rock type, elevation, and slope to diminish conflicts between land users. These variables were mapped using the weighted overlay analysis and the AHP analysis and then ranked in order of importance. The geographical relationships between all thematic data were used to generate the final suitability map of weighted overlay analysis and AHP analysis. The enumerated results have depicted that a number of aggregate prospective areas are prevalent in the study area. The research areas have been classified as low, moderate, or highly suitable based on environmental constraints, transportation network availability, current land use, and mineral-deposit availability. Furthermore, an accuracy comparison between AHP and weighted overlay analysis revealed that AHP analysis has a very high level of precision. As a consequence, the AHP-GIS approach is highly recommended for investigating land resources and resource categorization, which assists policymakers and regional authorities in making decisions and approving quarry authorizations. The purpose of this research is to analyze aggregate resources using GIS techniques. The authors defined the aggregate resources using two different approaches: weighted overlay analysis and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The criteria for selecting the quarry site were developed and implemented in a GIS environment. These criteria consider a variety of factors, including the slope, the distance to the road, land use and land cover, accessibility, slope, elevation, and geology. The final suitability maps were generated, and the locations were classified into three parts: low, medium, and high. Operators and decision-makers can use the undertaken analysis as a reference to create an appropriate aggregate plan for spatial development and management. This will make it easier to ensure that aggregate resources are accessible to both present and future generations while balancing extraction activities with an environmentally friendly perspective.