AHP-EWM Based Model Selection System for Subsidence Area Research

Ming Liang, Gen Yang, Xiaojun Zhu (), Hua Cheng, Liugen Zheng, Hui Liu, Xianglin Dong and Yanhai Zhang
Additional contact information
Ming Liang: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Gen Yang: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Xiaojun Zhu: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Hua Cheng: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Liugen Zheng: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Hui Liu: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Xianglin Dong: Huaibei Mining (Group) Co., Ltd., Huaibei 235000, China
Yanhai Zhang: Huaibei Mining (Group) Co., Ltd., Huaibei 235000, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 9, 1-24

Abstract: Coal mining can create a variety of environmental, ecological, and land-use problems. Subsidence areas resulting from coal mining are a common and particularly difficult problem to manage. Despite much discussion in the academic literature as well as among local and international stakeholders, there is neither a uniform standard nor a universally accepted approach for selecting an appropriate governance model for a subsidence area. In particular, the lack of quantitative evaluation methods and excessive subjectivity represent key obstacles to the effective selection of governance models for subsidence areas. This paper proposes a selection framework for a coal mining subsidence governance model that integrates the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and entropy weight method (EWM). The model comprehensively considers the settlement characteristics of the subsidence area, its geographic location, the water index, as well as the vegetation index. These variables are used as indicators to develop an evaluation framework upon which different subsidence zones can be quantitatively analyzed. The selection framework is demonstrated using examples from three subsidence areas in the Huainan and Huaibei mining areas in China, for which relevant data were collected and processed with the help of field surveys, remote sensing images, and subsidence prediction software. Applying the novel selection framework, the most suitable governance model for each subsidence area was obtained and determined to be consistent with the recommendations of an academic panel composed of multiple experts. The novel selection framework has high efficacy and potential to overcome the problem of subjectivity in the selection of governance models for coal mining subsidence areas. It is also envisaged that future incorporation of the selection framework into a user-friendly software package will significantly improve the efficiency with which suitable governance models for coal mining subsidence areas are selected.

Keywords: coal mining subsidence area; environmental governance; quantitative analysis; AHP; EWM (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/9/7135/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/9/7135/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:9:p:7135-:d:1131792

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().