On Physical Urban Boundaries, Urban Sprawl, and Compactness Measurement: A Case Study of the Wen-Tai Region, China

Xiaoling Dai (), Jiafeng Jin, Qianhu Chen and Xin Fang
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Xiaoling Dai: School of Design and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310024, China
Jiafeng Jin: School of Design and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310024, China
Qianhu Chen: School of Design and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310024, China
Xin Fang: School of Design and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310024, China

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 10, 1-24

Abstract: China’s rapid urbanization has been accompanied by serious urban sprawl. Instead of measuring the physical urban boundaries (PUBs), most of existing studies in China rely on yearbook statistics to describe the growth of urbanized area; therefore, the understanding of the actual form and quantity of urban sprawl are restrained. As the statistical unit is generally at or above the county level, these studies tend to omit the lower-level “larger towns”. This paper discusses the measurement of urban sprawl and compactness using multi-source data on the GIS platform through the case study of the Wen-Tai region in China. GlobeLand30 remote sensing image data, vector road network data, NPP/VIIRS nighttime light data, and points of interest (POIs) data are adopted. The new method enhances the identification of built-up areas in larger towns. Besides, the 2020s’ PUBs of this region, data for 2010 and 2000 are retraced to assess the urban expansion rate, and two approaches are used to discuss the urban growth pattern. Additionally, a compactness model is constructed from four dimensions, i.e., the compactness of external contour, accessibility of road network, land-use intensity, and functional diversity, by which a high-resolution visual analysis tool is created for the provincial government to monitor urban sprawl.

Keywords: urbanization; physical urban boundary; urban sprawl; compactness; system of cities; Wen-Tai region; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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