A multi-objective fuzzy pattern recognition model for assessing groundwater vulnerability based on the DRASTIC system

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Abstract
More and more problems with groundwater come from the increasing industrialization and the growing waste problem. The DRASTIC model has been used as a valuable tool in many parts of the world for assessing the vulnerability of groundwater. In the DRASTIC system, however, factors that influence groundwater must be divided into ranges and then be given ratings according to whether or not their values can be directly measured. The system may give the same range and rating to those having obviously different values. As a result, DRASTIC may be unable to actually reflect the difference between factors and hydrogeological settings. In fact, there exists a transition from the easiest to be polluted to the most difficult to be polluted so that vulnerability of groundwater is of a fuzzy nature and therefore fuzzy sets theory can be used to assess the vulnerability of groundwater. In this paper, a multi-objective fuzzy pattern recognition model for assessing the pollution potential of groundwater is presented. It is compared with the DRASTIC model in a case study. It is shown that the fuzzy pattern recognition model can take the fuzziness into account more efficiently in the process of evaluating the vulnerability of groundwater.