Mahdi Arabi

Topics based on a selection of Dr. Mehdi’s research, projects, articles, and master’s and doctoral theses that he supervised:

1. Urban Management, Smart Design, and Regional Development

• Housing quality analysis with an empowerment approach to informal settlements.
• Designing sustainable spatial structures in historical fabric (CPTED – Oudlajan).
• Urban development modeling using spatial data and cellular automata (Zanjan, Kermanshah).
• Structural analysis of urban development in the metropolitan area of Arak and its surroundings.
• Urban development project for Arak (Islamic City Council of Arak – 2007–2008).
• Air pollution reduction project for the Arak metropolitan area (2016).
• Management of urban development project implementation in Karaj (Consultant: 2014).

2. Multi-Criteria Spatial Decision-Making, SDSS, and Applied GIS

• Optimal site selection for solar power plant (Best‑Worst, SWARA, GIS – Fars).
• Locating Tehran fire station using fuzzy logic and AHP.
• Designing a spatial decision support system for hospital and school (Babol).
• Residential settlement ranking system (District 5 of Tehran – 2018).
• Urban parks service provision (Tehran Municipality – 2014).
• Spatial justice in public facility distribution (District 7 of Isfahan – 2017).
• Pipeline routing design from Taleqan Dam to Hashtgerd (GIS + AHP – 2016).

3. Urban Resilience, Social Justice, and Spatial Inequality

• Analysis of megacity challenges emphasizing inequality and digital transformation.
• Foresight for public spaces post-COVID (resilient planning).
• Urban transport resilience against climate and health crises.
• Modeling social dynamics and neighborhood vibrancy (District 15 of Tehran – 2019).
• Spatial and physical reorganization of Tehran metropolis with spatial justice (2006–2009).
• Urban services in Tehran: performance evaluation and exploitation modeling (Six Sigma – 2009).

 

4. Crisis Management, Natural Disasters, and Urban Environment

 

• Wildfire modeling in northwestern Iran’s forests.
• Agricultural drought analysis (VHI and ADSI – Markazi Province).
• Urban flood analysis and vulnerability (Gorgan, Tehran) using RS and GIS.
• Temporary housing site selection for earthquake-affected populations (District 12, Tehran).
• Emergency fire station location design (Fardis, Karaj).
• Environmental crisis evaluation of Miqan Wetland (Arak).
• Modeling flood mechanism in arid regions (Zahedan – 1997).
• Seismic zoning of Markazi Province (2014).

5. Environment, Forests, and Natural Resources

• The effect of thinning on fire behavior (Malkarod Forests, Siahkal).
• Fire behavior in natural and planted forests (Shenarud).
• Fuel cover and fire risk (Ardabil).
• Fire modeling in Arasbaran forests (Azerbaijan region).

6. Urban Heat Islands and Climate Change

• Urban heat island analysis in Tehran using fuzzy systems.
• Relationship between land use and surface temperature (Qazvin).
• Urban heat island analysis of Tabriz via satellite imagery.
• Impact of climate modeling on traditional culture in hot and arid regions (2011).

7. Transportation, Traffic, and Urban Modeling

• Optimal rail network design using GIS (Rasht).
• Optimal bus network modeling using GIS (Sanandaj).
• Travel mode choice modeling (Tehran congestion zone).
• Effect of traffic on land-use change using TGIS model (Rasht).
• Urban fabric prediction until 1412 (2033).
• Traffic crisis on Tehran highways: case study of Shahid Hemmat Highway (2020).

8. Land-Use Analysis and Urban Dynamics

• Temporal land-use analysis in Kianpar’s city (Ahvaz).
• Street morphology performance analysis: 17 Shahrivar Street, Tehran.
• Spatial–temporal fluctuations in land prices (Kashmar).
• Future urban development trend modeling based on historical change dynamics.

9. Water Resources and Environmental Quality

• Monitoring Gholabar Dam water quality using remote sensing (RS).
• Analysis of urban surface water pollution with GIS.
• Identification of microbial contamination sources in water (satellite imagery – 2018).
• Identifying dust generation sources and their transmission paths to Iran (satellite imagery – 2018–2020).

10. Remote Sensing, Data Mining, and Cultural Heritage

• Identifying and documenting qanats with aerial imagery.
• Monitoring hidden historical artifacts using spatial data mining.
• Land-use change in Gavkahan Wetland and analysis of ecotourism.
• RS application in determining urban heat islands and land use (Qazvin – 2016).
• Flood vulnerability assessment in Gonbad-e Kavus using RS and GIS (2016).

11. Rural, Regional, and Demographic Development

• Rural development analysis in Komijan (1998).
• Service infrastructure assessment in central villages (1998).
• Demographic changes in Tehran’s peri-urban areas (2008).
• Urban–rural development planning in Komijan, Saveh, and Zarandieh (1997–2007).

12. Theorization and Challenges of Environmental Modeling

• The scale challenge in environmental modeling (Urban Development and Civil Engineering Conference – 2019).
• Comparative analysis of location-based and concept-based models in urbanism.

13. Urban Policy, Boundaries, and Megacity Challenges

• Legal issues and boundaries of Tehran metropolis (Islamic World Geographers Congress – 2010).
• E‑city and new urban structures (Islamic Geography – 2011).
• Strategies for balanced development in Komijan (Elite Seminar – 2007).

14. Applied and Extensive Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

• GIS design for the Persian Gulf, mines, Saveh, Tehran firefighting, Tehran solid waste management, NW agriculture, landfill sites, surface water in Arak, Hormozgan Province, Semnan Province (1998–2015).
• Chair of the Superior Council of Urban Services GIS, Secretary of GIS Mechanization Committee, Consultant for Waste Management Plan, Urban services evaluation with Six Sigma, Designing oversight guidelines for urban services (2004–2011).

15. Academic Teaching, Research, and Administrative Service

• Teaching in high schools and pre-university centers in Tehran (1998–2003).
• University teaching at Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral levels:
• Shahid Rajaee University, Faculty of Civil Engineering – Department of Surveying Engineering.
• Yazd University, Departments of Geography and Surveying Engineering.
• Urmia University, Department of Geography.
• University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Faculty of Geography and Environmental Planning – Department of Urban Planning and Geography.
• Service in the Humanities and Research Commission of the Markazi Provincial Government (1999–2005).
• Membership in councils and summits of mayors of metropolises (2006–2013).
• Research consultant to the Islamic City Council of Arak (2006–2012).
• Delivering research and training courses in municipalities (2006).
• Teaching in Sama schools (geometry, computers, environment, geography, geology – (2002–2004).

16. Dynamic Spatial Information Systems, Megacity Governance, and Futuristic Modeling

Development of GIS models incorporating multiple spatial datasets with dynamic and floating attributes:

Nowadays, phenomena that fluctuate across time and intensity challenge the reliance on static data. The influx of dynamic data with cascading effects necessitates analyzing sinusoidal data patterns. Accordingly, I propose the development of dynamic spatial information systems to enhance performance in the following areas:

1. A) Organization, control, evaluation, and monitoring of:

• Nationwide infectious diseases.
• National health development modeling.
• Livestock health information system development.
• Modeling of severe and incurable diseases.
• Modeling environmental effects on road accidents.
• Spatial factors in physical disabilities incidence.
• Modeling dynamic urban parameters such as traffic, noise pollution, air pollution, and hazards in pathways during rainy days.

1. B) Climate-related topics at local, regional, and global scales:

• Rainfall pattern changes.
• Sea level rise.
• Species extinction.
• Air temperature increase.
• Polar ice melt.
• Intensified storms and cyclones.
• Prolonged heatwave frequencies.
• Disease spread and economic repercussions.
• Habitat alterations.
• Extensive wildfires.
• Dust storms, pollution, waste, water crises, surface runoff intensity, floods, deforestation, and more.

1. C) Environmental management and development concerning spatial changes in production and consumption resources:

• Energy, water, biodiversity, land use, chemical and toxic substances, heavy metals
• Air pollution, waste management, ozone layer, oceans and fisheries, deforestation, etc.

We must establish dynamic spatial information systems to conduct spatial analyses for:

• Environmental hazard assessment.
• Risk evaluation in urban and rural contexts.
• Environmental crisis analysis including floods, drought, and dust storms.
• Project management in domains such as urban, environmental, marine, terrestrial, forest, desert, and infrastructure (roads).
• Evaluating human activity impacts (industrial, mining, urbanization, agriculture, communication, and transport systems) on natural environments, emerging conditions, and environmental systems.

1. D) Urban management and spatial planning with big and complex data:

• Systemic approaches to urban structures.
• Strategic management via multi-faceted assessments amid dynamic and complex management parameters.
• Real-time analysis of phenomena with enduring impacts.

Within macro-urban planning and systematic municipal governance, big data must be integrated, classified, and analyzed for:

• Environmental degradation.
• Housing crises.
• Expansion of informal settlements.
• Water and sanitation issues.
• Health risks.
• Transportation problems.
• Waste management.
• Urban crime.

By addressing these issues, the following programs and systems become more rational, effective, and robust:

• Urban planning and design.
• Land-use planning.
• Three-dimensional cadastre systems.
• 3D urban modeling.
• Land Information Systems (LIS).
• Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI).
• Smart city: monitoring and controlling public transport and traffic systems.
• Housing sector: directing construction patterns, low-income housing, housing market regulation, mass housing production for middle and low-income urban and rural communities—empowering disadvantaged settlements.

Fundamental Megacity Challenges in the Contemporary World:

• Unrelenting Urban Growth & Inequality:

Requires macro-urban responses grounded in polycentrism and human-centric urban space design.

• Public Legitimacy:

Analyzing the legitimacy of metropolitan institutions and their coordination with national governance and citizens.

• Digital Disruption:

Understanding the effects of digitalization and digital transformation on the economy and the management of public services.

• Resilience:

Not just environmental, but also social and economic resilience; examining how megacity spaces can respond to modern challenges—always through a governance lens.

Revised List of 16 Thematic Axes Based on Dr. Mehdi Arabi’s Scientific and Research Activities:

• • Urban Management, Smart Design, and Regional Development.
  • Multi‑Criteria Spatial Decision‑Making, SDSS, and Applied GIS.
  • Urban Resilience, Social Justice, and Spatial Inequality.
  • Crisis Management, Natural Disasters, and Urban Environment.
  • Environment, Forests, and Natural Resources.
  • Urban Heat Islands and Climate Change.
  • Transportation, Traffic, and Urban Modeling.
  • Land‑Use Analysis and Urban Dynamics.
  • Water Resources and Environmental Quality.
  • Remote Sensing, Data Mining, and Cultural Heritage.
  • Rural, Regional, and Demographic Development.
  • Theorization and Challenges of Environmental Modeling.
  • Urban Policy, Boundaries, and Megacity Challenges.
  • Applied and Extensive Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
  • Academic Teaching, Research, and Administrative Service.
  • Dynamic Spatial Information Systems, Megacity Governance, and Futuristic Modeling.