SPATIAL DECISION MODEL FOR URBAN PLANNING
Decision model. Urban planning. Spatial decision-making
The decision-making process is an inherent task for human beings, and since all choices and
actions are based on preferences, decisions are naturally made. However, there are more complex
decisions that require the use of a Multiple Criteria Decision Making/ Analysis (MCDM/A).
This thesis presents a collection of articles based on the use of statistical, optimization, and multicriteria
methods for spatial decision-making. Initially, a systematic literature review of learning
models in MCDM/A was proposed, and an inclination towards studies of recommendation
systems and evaluation of interactions between criteria was identified. Also, it was found
that the analysis criteria were often restricted to one database, potentially compromising the
understanding of preferences. Thus, considering the use of multiple databases, methodologies
for spatial attractiveness, connectivity, and vulnerability analysis are proposed. In Chapter 4,
attractiveness is presented according to people’s perspectives, and by recognizing the factors
of importance, it is possible to identify popular demands for urban planning. The goal was
to consider administrative policies as well as the physical aspects of a region, as result is was
possible to classify regions in attractiveness levels. In Chapter 5, the novelty concerns the
relationship between regions regarding the presence of logistics terminals in terms of coverage
area and flows between terminals, improving the regional perception of connectivity as the
network of goods and people gains space and could be analyzed in the context of competitiveness.
The result is the ranking of connectivity of regions. In Chapter 6, a multi-methodology framework
is developed regarding public security in urban planning. The goal concerns the use of multiple
databases and tools for spatial, statistical, and decision analysis for a better understanding of
vulnerability issues. It was possible to classify the regions in levels of vulnerability. In Chapter
7, the issue was to understand the preferences in crime occurrences, and a strong relation was
found between the preferences of attractiveness and connectivity with robberies.