Integrating GIS and multicriteria analysis in the search for roadside bombs

Abstract: The idea of this study is to test if it is possible to use a modified Multi Critera Analysis (MCA) to automatically identify probable sites for roadside bombs in a country like Afghanistan. The intention is to create a sieving method that saves time when evaluating the threat in large areas. As the data available in such a country is sparse the method will be able to run on as little as a topographic map and a Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The outline of the method is that features that construct a Vulnerable Point (VP) are identified on the map and then assessed by a developed formula of threat to see if they lie within an area where insurgents are known to operate. The result is then refined to show only the VPs on the road. These VPs are then converted to vector to enhance visibility at all scales. The constructed method does work on the data in this study but needs to be further evaluated on more complex data.