Parametric Modelling and GIS Integration for Multi-Criteria Decision-Making: An Application to the Einstein Telescope Underground Research Infrastructure

Abstract. This paper presents an advanced computational framework developed to support decision-making for the placement of the underground Einstein Telescope, a third-generation gravitational-wave observatory. The system aims to automate the search for an optimal location through a multi-criteria analysis approach. Because the ET is extremely sensitive to environmental noise sources—including seismic, thermal, and anthropogenic vibrations—its design prioritises underground construction. This strategy, also adopted for the Japanese KAGRA detector and in contrast to surface-based observatories such as LIGO and Virgo, minimises interference from surface activities while ensuring subsurface stability.

The proposed methodology integrates Geographic Information System (GIS) data, incorporating a Digital Surface Model (DSM) to spatially represent relevant factors. The dominant site-selection criteria were identified and weighted according to their scientific and strategic importance in collaboration with the ET scientific community. An interactive parametric model was developed to interface directly with the GIS data, enabling evaluation of key factors and providing real-time analytical feedback on placement scenarios. Using an evolutionary algorithm combined with a composite fitness function, the system balances competing objectives and delivers optimised solutions, offering a robust decision-support tool for the early planning stages of the Einstein Telescope project.

Although the Sardinia site is currently considered a preliminary case study, the methodology is generalisable and applicable to other candidate sites to host ET.