Spatial Zoning for the Site Selection of a New Eternal Settlement (Cemetery) in the Peri-Urban Area of Bojnord

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assisrant Professor, Urban Design & Planning Department, Art Faculty, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran.

Abstract

The location selection of a new cemetery within the urban fringe of Bojnord requires a precise assessment of the environmental and spatial conditions of available lands. In this regard, the nature of urban development in Bojnord and the surrounding natural constraints were first considered in order to provide a comprehensive framework for analysis. The research criteria were standardized and integrated using a Geographic Information System (GIS) based on previous applied studies as well as current health regulations and guidelines. The effective evaluation criteria were classified into two categories: “location-related criteria” (distance from the city, prevailing wind direction, accessibility, land use, and urban development direction) and “site-related criteria” (soil type and mechanics, surface water, future development, groundwater depth, and geology). These criteria were analyzed as spatial information layers within the GIS environment. The integration of these layers enabled the identification of suitable zones in five main suitability classes. Furthermore, the results obtained from equal-weighting and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) were compared, indicating improved accuracy and consistency of zoning through the AHP approach. Accordingly, 34% and 26.5% of the study area were classified as highly suitable and suitable, respectively, when the relative importance of criteria was taken into account. Within this zoning framework, the northern and northeastern zones were identified as requiring further investigation for cemetery site selection, particularly with respect to the city’s future development direction and the prevailing wind direction. This classification assists decision-makers in comparing the potential of each zone not only from a technical perspective but also in terms of environmental and developmental implications. The principal outcome of the study is the production of a spatial suitability zoning map, which can serve as a practical basis for urban managers in decision-making and in guiding the process of selecting more appropriate lands for the location of the Eternal Settlement (cemetery) or a new cemetery for the city.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Geography and Territorial Spatial Arrangement
Volume 16, Issue 60
October 2026
Pages 133-168

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History

  • Receive Date: 12 December 2025
  • Revise Date: 13 June 2026
  • Accept Date: 21 June 2026

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