Prioriza����o de alternativas para melhoria do transporte a��reo de passageiros no eixo Rio-SP

Este trabalho estuda uma aplica����o de um M��todo Multicrit��rio (AHP do ingl��s Analytic Hierarchy Process) para analisar os problemas do congestionamento do tr��fego a��reo nos aeroportos brasileiros, focando-se na ponte S��o Paulo-Rio de Janeiro. Primeiramente com um estudo em grupo mediante compara����o em pares e posteriormente mediante um estudo individual com ratings. O objetivo deste trabalho ser�� obter a alternativa mais adequada para os interesses do tr��fego a��reo de Brasil

Tomada de decis��o em grupo na sele����o de processos para auditoria interna

L���audit, c���est un outil de gestion tr��s important pour que les organisations puissent accomplir la r��ussite. Selon le fait qu���il n���y a pas des mod��les d���aide �� l���audit, il existe une opportunit�� de recherche. En considerant les M��thodes d���Aide �� la D��cision, il y a des plusieurs type d���applications. L���objectif de la recherche c���est la proposition d���un mod��le capable de s��lectionner des processus pour faire l���audit dans une distributeur de carburant en considerant la prise de d��cision en groupe. La mod��lisation normative empirique c���est la m��thode de recherche utilis��e. Un mod��le qui utilise l���Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) et la prise de d��cision en groupe a ��t�� propos�� face aux difficult��s d���un d��partement d���Audit Interne. Le mod��le propos�� pr��sente les poids des processus et permet leur priorisations dans un sc��nario determin��. Pour l���application de ce mod��le pr��sent��, on a utilis�� cinq crit��res et 26 alternative (processus). L���information de jugement a ��t�� bien founi par trois sp��cialistes du d��partement. Quelques rendez-vous avec les participants ont ��t�� pris pour obtenir et r��viser les donn��s ainsi que discuter les r��sultats. Les r��sultats obtenus par le mod��le permettent d���identifier les processus qu���il faut plus d���attention. L�����quipe a consid��r�� le mod��le comme une proposition d���aide �� la prise de d��cision tr��s pertinent pour le d��partement d���Audit Interne

Modelagem para identifica����o de indicadores de efici��ncia energ��tica para edifica����es e plantas industriais

P��s-gradua����o em Engenharia Mec��nica - FEG

Comparative analysis of different meat traceability systems using multiple criteria and a social network approach

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient��fico e Tecnol��gico (CNPq)

Classifica����o multicrit��rio de pe��as de reposi����o

P��s-gradua����o em Engenharia Mec��nica - FEG

Fatores que Influenciam a flexibilidade da produ����o de ve��culos comerciais

P��s-gradua����o em Engenharia de Produ����o - FEG

Fatores que Influenciam a flexibilidade da produ����o de ve��culos comerciais

P��s-gradua����o em Engenharia de Produ����o - FEG

Multi-criteria analysis in the strategic environmental assessment of the sugar and alcohol sector

The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the sugar and alcohol sector guides a territorial and sectoral planning that benefits most of the local society and supports this economic activity in all its stages. In this way, the present work aims to determine an index of aggregation of the indicators generated in the baseline of the SEA process, called Index of Sustainability of Expansion of the Sugar and Alcohol Sector (IScana). For this, it was used the normalization of the indicators of each city by the fuzzy logic and attribution of weights by the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Then, the IScana values had been spatialized in the region of 'Grande Dourados'-Mato Grosso do Sul State. The northern portion concentrated the highest values of IScana, 0.48 and 0.55, referring to the cities of Nova Alvorada do Sul and Rio Brilhante, while, in the central portion, the city of Dourados presented the lowest value, 0.10. The selection of the set of indicators forming the IScana, and their relative importance, was satisfactory for the application of fuzzy logic and AHP techniques. The IScana index supplies objective information regarding the diagnosis of the region for the application of SEA.

Design and implementation of a multicriteria medical decision support system for diagnosis and treatment

Health care providers face the problem of trying to make decisions with inadequate information and also with an overload of (often contradictory) information. Physicians often choose treatment long before they know which disease is present. Indeed, uncertainty is intrinsic to the practice of medicine. Decision analysis can help physicians structure and work through a medical decision problem, and can provide reassurance that decisions are rational and consistent with the beliefs and preferences of other physicians and patients. ^ The primary purpose of this research project is to develop the theory, methods, techniques and tools necessary for designing and implementing a system to support solving medical decision problems. A case study involving ���abdominal pain��� serves as a prototype for implementing the system. The research, however, focuses on a generic class of problems and aims at covering theoretical as well as practical aspects of the system developed. ^ The main contributions of this research are: (1) bridging the gap between the statistical approach and the knowledge-based (expert) approach to medical decision making; (2) linking a collection of methods, techniques and tools together to allow for the design of a medical decision support system, based on a framework that involves the Analytic Network Process (ANP), the generalization of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to dependence and feedback, for problems involving diagnosis and treatment; (3) enhancing the representation and manipulation of uncertainty in the ANP framework by incorporating group consensus weights; and (4) developing a computer program to assist in the implementation of the system. ^

Adaptive Beaconless Opportunistic Routing for Multimedia Distribution

User experience on watching live videos must be satisfactory even under the inuence of different network conditions and topology changes, such as happening in Flying Ad-Hoc Networks (FANETs). Routing services for video dissemination over FANETs must be able to adapt routing decisions at runtime to meet Quality of Experience (QoE) requirements. In this paper, we introduce an adaptive beaconless opportunistic routing protocol for video dissemination over FANETs with QoE support, by taking into account multiple types of context information, such as link quality, residual energy, buffer state, as well as geographic information and node mobility in a 3D space. The proposed protocol takes into account Bayesian networks to define weight vectors and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to adjust the degree of importance for the context information based on instantaneous values. It also includes a position prediction to monitor the distance between two nodes in order to detect possible route failure.

Multi-criteria selection of structural adhesives to bond ABS parts obtained by rapid prototyping

One of the most used methods in rapidprototyping is Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), which provides components with a reasonable strength in plastic materials such as ABS and has a low environmental impact. However, the FDM process exhibits low levels of surface finishing, difficulty in getting complex and/or small geometries and low consistency in ���slim��� elements of the parts. Furthermore, ���cantilever��� elements need large material structures to be supported. The solution of these deficiencies requires a comprehensive review of the three-dimensional part design to enhance advantages and performances of FDM and reduce their constraints. As a key feature of this redesign a novel method of construction by assembling parts with structuraladhesive joints is proposed. These adhesive joints should be designed specifically to fit the plastic substrate and the FDM manufacturing technology. To achieve this, the most suitable structuraladhesiveselection is firstly required. Therefore, the present work analyzes five different families of adhesives (cyanoacrylate, polyurethane, epoxy, acrylic and silicone), and, by means of the application of technical multi-criteria decision analysis based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), to select the structuraladhesive that better conjugates mechanical benefits and adaptation to the FDM manufacturing process

Dise��o de un modelo de riesgo integral de incendios forestales mediante t��cnicas multicriterio y su automatizaci��n en sistemas de informaci��n geogr��fica : una aplicaci��n en la Comunidad Valenciana

Los incendios forestales son la principal causa de mortalidad de ��rboles en la Europa mediterr��nea y constituyen la amenaza m��s seria para los ecosistemas forestales espa��oles. En la Comunidad Valenciana, diariamente se despliega cerca de un centenar de veh��culos de vigilancia, cuya distribuci��n se apoya, fundamentalmente, en un ��ndice de riesgo de incendios calculado en funci��n de las condiciones meteorol��gicas. La tesis se centra en el dise��o y validaci��n de un nuevo ��ndice de riesgo integrado de incendios, especialmente adaptado a la regi��n mediterr��nea y que facilite el proceso de toma de decisiones en la distribuci��n diaria de los medios de vigilancia contra incendios forestales. El ��ndice adopta el enfoque de riesgo integrado introducido en la ��ltima d��cada y que incluye dos componentes de riesgo: el peligro de ignici��n y la vulnerabilidad. El primero representa la probabilidad de que se inicie un fuego y el peligro potencial para que se propague, mientras que la vulnerabilidad tiene en cuenta las caracter��sticas del territorio y los efectos potenciales del fuego sobre el mismo. Para el c��lculo del peligro potencial se han identificado indicadores relativos a los agentes naturales y humanos causantes de incendios, la ocurrencia hist��rica y el estado de los combustibles, extremo muy relacionado con la meteorolog��a y las especies. En cuanto a la vulnerabilidad se han empleado indicadores representativos de los efectos potenciales del incendio (comportamiento del fuego, infraestructuras de defensa), como de las caracter��sticas del terreno (valor, capacidad de regeneraci��n���). Todos estos indicadores constituyen una estructura jer��rquica en la que, siguiendo las recomendaciones de la Comisi��n europea para ��ndices de riesgo de incendios, se han incluido indicadores representativos del riesgo a corto plazo y a largo plazo. El c��lculo del valor final del ��ndice se ha llevado a cabo mediante la progresiva agregaci��n de los componentes que forman cada uno de los niveles de la estructura jer��rquica del ��ndice y su integraci��n final. Puesto que las t��cnicas de decisi��n multicriterio est��n especialmente orientadas a tratar con problemas basados en estructuras jer��rquicas, se ha aplicado el m��todo TOPSIS para obtener la integraci��n final del modelo. Se ha introducido en el modelo la opini��n de los expertos, mediante la ponderaci��n de cada uno de los componentes del ��ndice. Se ha utilizado el m��todo AHP, para obtener las ponderaciones de cada experto y su integraci��n en un ��nico peso por cada indicador. Para la validaci��n del ��ndice se han empleado los modelos de Ecuaciones de Estimaci��n Generalizadas, que tienen en cuenta posibles respuestas correlacionadas. Para llevarla a cabo se emplearon los datos de oficiales de incendios ocurridos durante el per��odo 1994 al 2003, referenciados a una cuadr��cula de 10x10 km empleando la ocurrencia de incendios y su superficie, como variables dependientes. Los resultados de la validaci��n muestran un buen funcionamiento del sub��ndice de peligro de ocurrencia con un alto grado de correlaci��n entre el sub��ndice y la ocurrencia, un buen ajuste del modelo log��stico y un buen poder discriminante. Por su parte, el sub��ndice de vulnerabilidad no ha presentado una correlaci��n significativa entre sus valores y la superficie de los incendios, lo que no descarta su validez, ya que algunos de sus componentes tienen un car��cter subjetivo, independiente de la superficie incendiada. En general el ��ndice presenta un buen funcionamiento para la distribuci��n de los medios de vigilancia en funci��n del peligro de inicio. No obstante, se identifican y discuten nuevas l��neas de investigaci��n que podr��an conducir a una mejora del ajuste global del ��ndice. En concreto se plantea la necesidad de estudiar m��s profundamente la aparente correlaci��n que existe en la provincia de Valencia entre la superficie forestal que ocupa cada cuadr��cula de 10 km del territorio y su riesgo de incendios y que parece que a menor superficie forestal, mayor riesgo de incendio. Otros aspectos a investigar son la sensibilidad de los pesos de cada componente o la introducci��n de factores relativos a los medios potenciales de extinci��n en el sub��ndice de vulnerabilidad. Summary Forest fires are the main cause of tree mortality in Mediterranean Europe and the most serious threat to the Spanisf forest. In the Spanish autonomous region of Valencia, forest administration deploys a mobile fleet of 100 surveillance vehicles in forest land whose allocation is based on meteorological index of wildlandfire risk. This thesis is focused on the design and validation of a new Integrated Wildland Fire Risk Index proposed to efficient allocation of vehicles and specially adapted to the Mediterranean conditions. Following the approaches of integrated risk developed last decade, the index includes two risk components: Wildland Fire Danger and Vulnerability. The former represents the probability a fire ignites and the potential hazard of fire propagation or spread danger, while vulnerability accounts for characteristics of the land and potential effects of fire. To calculate the Wildland Fire Danger, indicators of ignition and spread danger have been identified, including human and natural occurrence agents, fuel conditions, historical occurrence and spread rate. Regarding vulnerability se han empleado indicadores representativos de los efectos potenciales del incendio (comportamiento del fuego, infraestructurasd de defensa), como de las caracter��sticas del terreno (valor, capacidad de regeneraci��n���). These indicators make up the hierarchical structure for the index, which, following the criteria of the European Commission both short and long-term indicators have been included. Integration consists of the progressive aggregation of the components that make up every level in risk the index and, after that, the integration of these levels to obtain a unique value for the index. As Munticriteria methods are oriented to deal with hierarchically structured problems and with situations in which conflicting goals prevail, TOPSIS method is used in the integration of components. Multicriteria methods were also used to incorporate expert opinion in weighting of indicators and to carry out the aggregation process into the final index. The Analytic Hierarchy Process method was used to aggregate experts' opinions on each component into a single value. Generalized Estimation Equations, which account for possible correlated responses, were used to validate the index. Historical records of daily occurrence for the period from 1994 to 2003, referred to a 10x10-km-grid cell, as well as the extent of the fires were the dependant variables. The results of validation showed good Wildland Fire Danger component performance, with high correlation degree between Danger and occurrence, a good fit of the logistic model used and a good discrimination power. The vulnerability component has not showed a significant correlation between their values and surface fires, which does not mean the index is not valid, because of the subjective character of some of its components, independent of the surface of the fires. Overall, the index could be used to optimize the preventing resources allocation. Nevertheless, new researching lines are identified and discussed to improve the overall performance of the index. More specifically the need of study the inverse relationship between the value of the wildfire Fire Danger component and the forested surface of each 10 - km cell is set out. Other points to be researched are the sensitivity of the index component��s weight and the possibility of taking into account indicators related to fire fighting resources to make up the vulnerability component.

Analyzing climate change adaptation in the agriculture and water sectors: screening risks and opportunities.

As part of the Mediterranean area, the Guadiana basin in Spain is particularly exposed to increasing water stress due to climate change. Future warmer and drier climate will have negative implications for the sustainability of water resources and irrigation agriculture, the main socio- economic sector in the region. This paper illustrates a systematic analysis of climate change impacts and adaptation in the Guadiana basin based on a two-stage modeling approach. First, an integrated hydro-economic modeling framework was used to simulate the potential effects of regional climate change scenarios for the period 2000-2069. Second, a participatory multi-criteria technique, namely the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), was applied to rank potential adaptation measures based on agreed criteria. Results show that, in the middle-long run and under severe climate change, reduced water availability, lower crop yields and increased irrigation demands might lead to water shortages, crop failure, and up to ten percent of income losses to irrigators. AHP results show how private farming adaptation measures, including improving irrigation efficiency and adjusting crop varieties, are preferred to public adaptation measures, such as building new dams. The integrated quantitative and qualitative methodology used in this research can be considered a socially-based valuable tool to support adaptation decision-making.

A multi-criteria optimization and decision-making approach for improvement of food engineering processes.

The objective of this study was to propose a multi-criteria optimization and decision-making technique to solve food engineering problems. This technique was demostrated using experimental data obtained on osmotic dehydratation of carrot cubes in a sodium chloride solution. The Aggregating Functions Approach, the Adaptive Random Search Algorithm, and the Penalty Functions Approach were used in this study to compute the initial set of non-dominated or Pareto-optimal solutions. Multiple non-linear regression analysis was performed on a set of experimental data in order to obtain particular multi-objective functions (responses), namely water loss, solute gain, rehydration ratio, three different colour criteria of rehydrated product, and sensory evaluation (organoleptic quality). Two multi-criteria decision-making approaches, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Tabular Method (TM), were used simultaneously to choose the best alternative among the set of non-dominated solutions. The multi-criteria optimization and decision-making technique proposed in this study can facilitate the assessment of criteria weights, giving rise to a fairer, more consistent, and adequate final compromised solution or food process. This technique can be useful to food scientists in research and education, as well as to engineers involved in the improvement of a variety of food engineering processes.

Modelo para la integraci��n del trazado de infraestructuras lineales en el paisaje y el medio ambiente basado en SIG

El an��lisis de las diferentes alternativas en la planificaci��n y dise��o de corredores y trazados de carreteras debe basarse en la correcta definici��n de variables territoriales que sirvan como criterios para la toma de decisi��n y esto requiere un an��lisis ambiental preliminar de esas variables de calidad. En Espa��a, los estudios de viabilidad de nuevas carreteras y autov��as est��n asociados a una fase del proceso de decisi��n que se corresponde con el denominado Estudio Informativo, el cual establece condicionantes f��sicos, ambientales, de uso del suelo y culturales que deben ser considerados en las primeras fases de la definici��n del trazado de un corredor de carretera. As��, la metodolog��a m��s frecuente es establecer diferentes niveles de capacidad de acogida del territorio en el ��rea de estudio con el fin de resumir las variables territoriales en mapas tem��ticos y facilitar el proceso de trazado de las alternativas de corredores de carretera. El paisaje es un factor limitante a tener en cuenta en la planificaci��n y dise��o de carreteras y, por tanto, deben buscarse trazados m��s sostenibles en relaci��n con criterios est��ticos y ecol��gicos del mismo. Pero este factor no es frecuentemente analizado en los Estudios Informativos e incluso, si es considerado, los estudios espec��ficos de la calidad del paisaje (est��tico y ecol��gico) y de las formas del terreno no incorporan las recomendaciones de las gu��as de trazado para evitar o reducir los impactos en el paisaje. Adem��s, los mapas de paisaje que se generan en este tipo de estudios no se corresponden con la escala de desarrollo del Estudio Informativo (1:5.000). Otro d��ficit com��n en planificaci��n de corredores y trazados de carreteras es que no se tiene en cuenta la conectividad del paisaje durante el proceso de dise��o de la carretera para prevenir la afecci��n a los corredores de fauna existentes en el paisaje. Este d��ficit puede originar un posterior efecto barrera en los movimientos dispersivos de la fauna y la fragmentaci��n de sus h��bitats debido a la ocupaci��n parcial o total de las teselas de h��bitats con importancia biol��gica para la fauna (o h��bitats focales) y a la interrupci��n de los corredores de fauna que concentran esos movimientos dispersivos de la fauna entre teselas. El objetivo principal de esta tesis es mejorar el estudio del paisaje para prevenir su afecci��n durante el proceso de trazado de carreteras, facilitar la conservaci��n de los corredores de fauna (o pasillos verdes) y la localizaci��n de medidas preventivas y correctoras en t��rminos de selecci��n y cuantificaci��n de factores de idoneidad a fin de reducir los impactos visuales y ecol��gicos en el paisaje a escala local. Concretamente, la incorporaci��n de valores cuantitativos y bien justificados en el proceso de decisi��n permite incrementar la transparencia en el proceso de dise��o de corredores y trazados de carreteras. Con este fin, se han planteado cuatro preguntas espec��ficas en esta investigaci��n (1) ��C��mo se seleccionan y eval��an los factores territoriales limitantes para localizar una nueva carretera por los profesionales espa��oles de planificaci��n del territorio en relaci��n con el paisaje? (2) ��C��mo pueden ser definidos los corredores de fauna a partir de factores del paisaje que influyen en los movimientos dispersivos de la fauna? (3) ��C��mo pueden delimitarse y evaluarse los corredores de fauna incluyendo el comportamiento parcialmente err��tico en los movimientos dispersivos de la fauna y el efecto barrera de los elementos antr��picos a una escala local? (4) ��Qu�� y c��mo las recomendaciones de dise��o de carreteras relacionadas con el paisaje y las formas del terreno pueden ser incluidas en un modelo de Sistemas de Informaci��n Geogr��fica (SIG) para ayudar a los ingenieros civiles durante el proceso de dise��o de un trazado de carreteras bajo el punto de vista de la sostenibilidad?. Esta tesis doctoral propone nuevas metodolog��as que mejoran el an��lisis visual y ecol��gico del paisaje utilizando indicadores y modelos SIG para obtener alternativas de trazado que produzcan un menor impacto en el paisaje. Estas metodolog��as fueron probadas en un paisaje heterog��neo con una alta tasa de densidad de corzo (Capreolus capreolus L.), uno de los grandes mam��feros m��s atropellados en la red de carreteras espa��olas, y donde est�� planificada la construcci��n de una nueva autov��a que atravesar�� la mitad del ��rea de distribuci��n del corzo. Inicialmente, se han analizado las variables utilizadas en 22 estudios de proyectos de planificaci��n de corredores de carreteras promovidos por el Ministerio de Fomento entre 2006 y 2008. Estas variables se agruparon seg��n condicionantes f��sicos, ambientales, de usos del suelo y culturales con el fin de comparar los valores asignados de capacidad de acogida del territorio a cada variable en los diferentes estudios revisados. Posteriormente, y como etapa previa de un an��lisis de conectividad, se construy�� un mapa de resistencia de los movimientos dispersivos del corzo en base a la literatura y al juicio de expertos. Usando esta investigaci��n como base, se le asign�� un valor de resistencia a cada factor seleccionado para construir la matriz de resistencia, ponder��ndolo y combin��ndolo con el resto de factores usando el proceso anal��tico jer��rquico y los operadores de l��gica difusa como m��todos de an��lisis multicriterio. Posteriormente, se dise���� una metodolog��a SIG para delimitar claramente la extensi��n f��sica de los corredores de fauna de acuerdo a un valor umbral de ancho geom��trico m��nimo, as�� como la existencia de m��ltiples potenciales conexiones entre cada par de teselas de h��bitats presentes en el paisaje estudiado. Finalmente, se realiz�� un procesado de datos Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) y un modelo SIG para calcular la calidad del paisaje (est��tico y ecol��gico), las formas del terreno que presentan caracter��sticas similares para trazar una carretera y la acumulaci��n de vistas de potenciales conductores y observadores de los alrededores de la nueva v��a. Las principales contribuciones de esta investigaci��n al conocimiento cient��fico existente en el campo de la evaluaci��n del impacto ambiental en relaci��n al dise��o de corredores y trazados de carreteras son cuatro. Primero, el an��lisis realizado de 22 Estudios Informativos de planificaci��n de carreteras revel�� que los m��todos aplicados por los profesionales para la evaluaci��n de la capacidad de acogida del territorio no fue suficientemente estandarizada, ya que hab��a una falta de uniformidad en el uso de fuentes cartogr��ficas y en las metodolog��as de evaluaci��n de la capacidad de acogida del territorio, especialmente en el an��lisis de la calidad del paisaje est��tico y ecol��gico. Segundo, el an��lisis realizado en esta tesis destaca la importancia de los m��todos multicriterio para estructurar, combinar y validar factores que limitan los movimientos dispersivos de la fauna en el an��lisis de conectividad. Tercero, los modelos SIG desarrollados Generador de alternativas de corredores o Generator of Alternative Corridors (GAC) y Eliminador de Corredores Estrechos o Narrow Corridor Eraser (NCE) pueden ser aplicados sistem��ticamente y sobre una base cient��fica en an��lisis de conectividad como una mejora de las herramientas existentes para la comprensi��n el paisaje como una red compuesta por nodos y enlaces interconectados. As��, ejecutando los modelos GAC y NCE de forma iterativa, pueden obtenerse corredores alternativos con similar probabilidad de ser utilizados por la fauna y sin que ��stos presenten cuellos de botella. Cuarto, el caso de estudio llevado a cabo de predise��o de corredores y trazado de una nueva autov��a ha sido novedoso incluyendo una clasificaci��n semisupervisada de las formas del terreno, filtrando una nube de puntos LiDAR e incluyendo la nueva geometr��a 3D de la carretera en el Modelo Digital de Superficie (MDS). El uso combinado del procesamiento de datos LiDAR y de ��ndices y clasificaciones geomorfol��gicas puede ayudar a los responsables encargados en la toma de decisiones a evaluar qu�� alternativas de trazado causan el menor impacto en el paisaje, proporciona una visi��n global de los juicios de valor m��s aplicados y, en conclusi��n, define qu�� medidas de integraci��n paisaj��stica correctoras deben aplicarse y d��nde. ABSTRACT The assessment of different alternatives in road-corridor planning and layout design must be based on a number of well-defined territorial variables that serve as decision-making criteria, and this requires a high-quality preliminary environmental analysis of those quality variables. In Spain, feasibility studies for new roads and motorways are associated to a phase of the decision procedure which corresponds with the one known as the Informative Study, which establishes the physical, environmental, land-use and cultural constraints to be considered in the early stages of defining road corridor layouts. The most common methodology is to establish different levels of Territorial Carrying Capacity (TCC) in the study area in order to summarize the territorial variables on thematic maps and facilitate the tracing process of road-corridor layout alternatives. Landscape is a constraint factor that must be considered in road planning and design, and the most sustainable layouts should be sought based on aesthetic and ecological criteria. However this factor is not often analyzed in Informative Studies and even if it is, baseline studies on landscape quality (aesthetic and ecological) and landforms do not usually include the recommendations of road tracing guides designed to avoid or reduce impacts on the landscape. The resolution of the landscape maps produced in this type of studies does not comply with the recommended road design scale (1:5,000) in the regulations for the Informative Study procedure. Another common shortcoming in road planning is that landscape ecological connectivity is not considered during road design in order to avoid affecting wildlife corridors in the landscape. In the prior road planning stage, this issue could lead to a major barrier effect for fauna dispersal movements and to the fragmentation of their habitat due to the partial or total occupation of habitat patches of biological importance for the fauna (or focal habitats), and the interruption of wildlife corridors that concentrate fauna dispersal movements between patches. The main goal of this dissertation is to improve the study of the landscape and prevent negative effects during the road tracing process, and facilitate the preservation of wildlife corridors (or green ways) and the location of preventive and corrective measures by selecting and quantifying suitability factors to reduce visual and ecological landscape impacts at a local scale. Specifically the incorporation of quantitative and well-supported values in the decision-making process provides increased transparency in the road corridors and layouts design process. Four specific questions were raised in this research: (1) How are territorial constraints selected and evaluated in terms of landscape by Spanish land-planning practitioners before locating a new road? (2) How can wildlife corridors be defined based on the landscape factors influencing the dispersal movements of fauna? (3) How can wildlife corridors be delimited and assessed to include the partially erratic movements of fauna and the barrier effect of the anthropic elements at a local scale? (4) How recommendations of road design related to landscape and landforms can be included in a Geographic Information System (GIS) model to aid civil engineers during the road layout design process and support sustainable development? This doctoral thesis proposes new methodologies that improve the assessment of the visual and ecological landscape character using indicators and GIS models to obtain road layout alternatives with a lower impact on the landscape. These methodologies were tested on a case study of a heterogeneous landscape with a high density of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) ���one of the large mammals most commonly hit by vehicles on the Spanish road network��� and where a new motorway is planned to pass through the middle of their distribution area. We explored the variables used in 22 road-corridor planning projects sponsored by the Ministry of Public Works between 2006 and 2008. These variables were grouped into physical, environmental, land-use and cultural constraints for the purpose of comparing the TCC values assigned to each variable in the various studies reviewed. As a prior stage in a connectivity analysis, a map of resistance to roe deer dispersal movements was created based on the literature and experts judgment. Using this research as a base, each factor selected to build the matrix was assigned a resistance value and weighted and combined with the rest of the factors using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy logic operators as multicriteria assessment (MCA) methods. A GIS methodology was designed to clearly delimit the physical area of wildlife corridors according to a geometric threshold width value, and the multiple potential connections between each pair of habitat patches in the landscape. A Digital Surface Model Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) dataset processing and a GIS model was performed to determine landscape quality (aesthetic and ecological) and landforms with similar characteristics for the road layout, and the cumulative viewshed of potential drivers and observers in the area surrounding the new motorway. The main contributions of this research to current scientific knowledge in the field of environmental impact assessment for road corridors and layouts design are four. First, the analysis of 22 Informative Studies on road planning revealed that the methods applied by practitioners for assessing the TCC were not sufficiently standardized due to the lack of uniformity in the cartographic information sources and the TCC valuation methodologies, especially in the analysis of the aesthetic and ecological quality of the landscape. Second, the analysis in this dissertation highlights the importance of multicriteria methods to structure, combine and validate factors that constrain wildlife dispersal movements in the connectivity analysis. Third, the ���Generator of Alternative Corridors (GAC)��� and ���Narrow Corridor Eraser (NCE)��� GIS models developed can be applied systematically and on a scientific basis in connectivity analyses to improve existing tools and understand landscape as a network composed of interconnected nodes and links. Thus, alternative corridors with similar probability of use by fauna and without bottlenecks can be obtained by iteratively running GAC and NCE models. Fourth, our case study of new motorway corridors and layouts design innovatively included semi-supervised classification of landforms, filtering of LiDAR point clouds and new 3D road geometry on the Digital Surface Model (DSM). The combined used of LiDAR data processing and geomorphological indices and classifications can help decision-makers assess which road layouts produce lower impacts on the landscape, provide an overall insight into the most commonly applied value judgments, and in conclusion, define which corrective measures should be applied in terms of landscaping, and where.