Evaluating the suitability of underground space development based on social and economic factors

ABSTRACTMa’anshan City, located in the Yangtze River Delta region, is a demonstration city for handling the industrial transfer of the Nanjing, Hefei, and Wanjiang Metropolitan Areas in China. Developing and utilizing underground space can effectively alleviate the land scarcity issue in urban development. The suitability evaluation of underground space development in Ma’anshan City offers valuable information support for the economic and efficient use of land resources. Drawing on POI, night light radiance, and population data, this study selects six indices, including POI kernel density, road node connection rate, night light radiance in the most recent year, change amplitude of night light radiance over the years, population density in the most recent year, and change amplitude of population density over the years. The study conducts a comparative analysis of the suitability of underground space development in Ma’anshan City using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Combination Weight Method. Comparing the results of AHP and Combination Weight Method reveals that the latter can identify a more extensive range of highly suitable development zones than the former. This study provides an effective method for evaluating the suitability of underground space development in urban planning, which contributes to promoting sustainable urban development.