Soft Computing Evaluation Logic

4.6LSP Suitability Maps

For each geographic location we can compute its suitability for particular use (e.g., agriculture, urban development, etc.). The LSP suitability map is defined as a spatial distribution of the degree of suitability of geographic locations for a specific use. LSP suitability maps are usually presented as transparent overlay of suitability on top of geographic maps (e.g., Google maps, or GIS maps such as TerrSet/Idrisi or ArcGIS).

The most frequent decision problems that need suitability maps are problems of planning and development, and problems of environmental protection [CHA07, GOO97, JOE01, RIG02, TOM90, WAC95]. The most common types of development include commercial, industrial, residential, and military development, as well as the use of selected regions as the farmland (agriculture) or the forestland. In the protection area we are interested in the use of selected regions as natural areas that may be ecologically important (for wildlife habitat and biodiversity), or important as natural heritage areas. More specific examples of suitability for development include the suitability for construction of industrial objects, homes, hospitals, schools, recreation areas, entertainment centers, sport facilities, shopping centers, airports, etc. The LSP method for computing suitability in suitability maps was first proposed in [DUJ08]. Various refinements, expansions, and applications of this basic concept can be found in [DUJ09, TRE09, TRE10, DUJ10a, DUJ10b ...