An engineering geological suitability comprehensive evaluation index (EGSCEI) for large-scale infrastructure site selection

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present a quantitative method for evaluating the engineering geological suitability of potential sites in order to select the optimal site for large-scale infrastructure. Based on the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation decision method and analytic hierarchy process (AHP), an engineering geological suitability comprehensive evaluation index (EGSCEI) model was applied in the selection of a site for the construction of the China Initiative Accelerator-Driven System (CiADS) and the High-Intensity Heavy-Ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF). In this model, seven parameters, including land use, geomorphology, geological structure, lithology, hydrogeology, geological disaster and rock weathering, were selected as the evaluation factors. The factor evaluation matrices were established, and the weight vector of the seven factors was determined using the AHP. The engineering geological suitability fuzzy comprehensive evaluation vectors were then computed. Finally, according to the normalized engineering geological suitability comprehensive evaluation vectors and the quantified evaluation ranking vector, the EGSCEI values were calculated. As a result, site No. 3 was evaluated as the most optimal site of the three potential sites for the construction of the CiADS and HIAF. The result was adopted by the Chinese government, and site No. 3 became the selected location. This case study shows that the EGSCEI model is scientific, reasonable and applicable in providing a reference for similar large-scale infrastructure site selection.