Abstract:
Demand for construction materials in the North and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka has risen
significantly due to accelerated construction work in progress to restore the destroyed infrastructures
during the civil war. Ground surveying methods to locate quarries within this area are not applicable due
to security reasons and the larger area to be covered. Thus a Remote Sensing method is suitable for
this task. This study introduces a methodology to locate suitable quarries and sand mines for
constructions in the Eastern province. LANDSAT ETM+ images were used for classification. Feasible
rocks and sand deposits for quarry operations were located using Multicriteria Analysis (AHP).The
highly suitable rock quarries and sand deposits were considered in closest facility analysis. The results
showed that the integration of Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) can
serve as an effective tool in demarcating suitable sites for construction material and this methodology
can also be applied for projects of similar nature.
