A model proposal for the determination of post-disaster usage potentials of urban open and green spaces in the context of smart governance: The case of Amasya

Natural disasters, occurring prominently and with increasing intensity in today's world, adversely impact human beings, the environment, and property. Urban open and green spaces, however, offer various spatial and infrastructural opportunities for post-disaster use. Nevertheless, there is a need for their prioritized planning in the face of disasters. This thesis examines open and green spaces in the 26 neighborhoods of the Central district of Amasya, Türkiye, determining their potential for post-disaster use and presenting a GIS-based model to support decisions regarding post-disaster use. In this context, the open and green spaces were clustered using the HCA method, and an indicator set comprising 4 main and 21 sub-criteria was analyzed to determine their post-disaster uses. The weight values of clusters and indicators, determined by experts, were normalized, and suitability maps were obtained. Subsequently, both the Safety Index (SI) was calculated to determine the usage priorities of the open and green spaces, and capacities for both access and meeting, shelter, education, health, and recreation needs were computed. This thesis contributes by introducing a new model for spatial analysis and decision support processes in the post-disaster use of urban open and green spaces, determining usage priorities, and providing guidance for decision-makers in disaster management.