Urban risk assessment based on integrating natural and anthropogenic factors using spatial multi-criteria decision approach: a case study of flood and seismic hazards in Kathmandu Valley | |
| Author | Tiwari, Anjana |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.UE-19-04 |
| Subject(s) | Urban ecology (Sociology)--Nepal--Kathmandu Earthquakes--Risk assessment--Nepal--Kathmandu Flood control--Nepal--Kathmandu |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Urban Environmental Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | The increased modifications in earth’s system by humans have resulted in numerous disasters mostly in developing countries and especially in an urbanization context. Thus, for urban risk assessment, this study integrates both natural and anthropogenic factors. The main objective of this study is to characterize the interactions of natural and anthropogenic factors based on its spatial extent for integrated urban risk assessment in case of flood and seismic hazards in Kathmandu Valley (KV). Overall approach of the study is based on the multi-criteria analysis interfacing with spatial analysis. Using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), a pairwise comparison of factors has been carried out to find their relative importance as perceived by different experts from field disaster risk resilience and urban planning primarily through interview. Different risk scenarios of KV were assimilated through available data from different government bodies. Risk assessment was then conducted to characterize the roles and interactions of different factors, so that relevant measures were then proposed to enhance urban resilience of the study area. The results reveal that Kathmandu Valley is heavily exposed to the flood and seismic risk based on natural factors of which intensity of risks are influenced by anthropogenic factors. Main natural and anthropogenic factors were identified for urban risk assessment. With precipitation and topographic slope, buildings close to rivers, availability of drainage and reservoirs as well as level of urbanization influences flood risk in greater extent. For seismic risk, building types, proximity to open spaces and urbanization level with fault source and liquefaction potential are the prioritized risk influencing factors. Based on this priority of factors, the urbanization level and urban periphery are common significantly influencing both flood and seismic risks. Hence, in this study the interaction among those factors are identified as either increasing or of impeding influence in risk assessment. This study thus presents the roles and their interactions of natural and anthropogenic factors in integrated risk assessment as a decision support tool for enhancing resilience in urban planning and development as well as to check human interventions increasing urban risks. |
| Year | 2019 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Urban Environmental and Management (UE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Vilas Nitivattananon; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Kim, Sohee Minsun;Virdis, Salvatore G.P. |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Asian Institute of Technology Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2019 |