GIS-AHP-Based Suitability Assessment for Solid Waste Landfill Site Selection in Khartoum State, Sudan
Keywords:
GIS, AHP, MCDA, Landfill Site, Solid Waste Management, Vector-based OverlayAbstract
Rapid urbanization and population growth in Khartoum State, Sudan, have resulted in a significant increase in municipal solid waste generation, placing considerable pressure on existing waste management infrastructure. The identification of suitable landfill sites is a critical challenge that requires balancing environmental protection, public health considerations, and operational efficiency. This study develops an integrated Geographic Information System (GIS)-based framework for landfill site suitability evaluation in Khartoum State, combining Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to provide a structured, transparent, and spatially explicit assessment. Ten evaluation criteria were systematically integrated: proximity to water bodies, residential areas, hospitals, schools, agricultural land use, soil type, wind, annual rainfall, road accessibility, and t slope. Criteria weights were derived using pairwise comparison matrices, yielding a Consistency Ratio (CR) of 0.029. The resulting suitability map identifies Omdurman and Bahri (Khartoum North) as containing suitable landfill zones. while the Khartoum locality itself showed very negligible suitable sites due to high population density, proximity to the Nile, and concentration of sensitive receptors A proposed landfill site in Omdurman is identified as the most viable location for new solid waste disposal infrastructure. The proposed framework offers a replicable and data driven decision-support tool for solid waste planners and policymakers.
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