INTRODUCTION: Sustainable urban development and sustainable cities are the most important challenges faced by humans in the 21st century, as the cities may suffer a lot of damage in times of crisis. Therefore, paying attention to the passive defense subject can significantly reduce the level of damage caused by disasters. The present study is conducted with the aim to provide a passive defense approach to selecting the best shelter for temporary accommodation. METHODS: This was a descriptive-analytical study in which the required information was collected using library and field methods. In order to analyze the information, the analytic network process (ANP) technique was employed in order to determine the importance coefficients of indicators in a real environment. Finally, by overlapping information layers, the most preferred locations were identified in proportion to the objective, and the system was used to draw the layers and determine the importance weights of the indicators. FINDINGS: Given the importance weights, the characteristics of a suitable place included areas with sufficient open spaces and at the same time, compatible with the surrounding uses with a relatively higher potential for the establishment of the injured. Therefore, due to the existence of open and suitable spaces as well as proper access, the outskirts of Tabriz, Iran, have a high capacity for accommodating the incident victims.
