Evaluating environmental risk to technological hazards, using GIS spatial decision making

Abstract

This study proposes a methodology allowing a better spatial decision making concerning the technological risks in the Greater Lyon (France). This methodology consists in three steps. Firstly, it is needed to assess the territorial vulnerability of the area, based on semi-structured interviews with experts. Secondly, it is necessary to map the exposed areas to a potential accident concerning the storage and the transport of hazardous materials. Finally, these two variables are combined to produce an environmental risk mapping. One of the main goals of this proceeding is to convert heterogeneous spatial data of assets into a mesh form thanks to a grid that homogenize the shape of the environmental stakes according to their sensibility and exposure to thermal, toxic and overpressure effects. These maps can therefore be considered as preliminary documents for the mediation of industrials, local authorities officers and territorial engineers. © 2014 Springer International Publishing.