This study analyzes the barriers to developing smart cities (SCs) using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) approach. The primary objective is to identify, classify, and assess the main barriers hindering the progress of SCs. Through an extensive literature review, twelve main barriers were identified. The DEMATEL approach models and analyzes the relationships among these barriers based on expert input. The results reveal that technical problems, a lack of infrastructure, and high costs are classified as cause barriers. Security and privacy concerns and the absence of coordinated planning are classified as effect barriers. This study emphasizes the need for established criteria and iterative development requirements. Although the influence of knowledge and skills gaps and a lack of awareness is less significant, these aspects still require attention. The findings suggest that a comprehensive approach focusing on technical solutions, infrastructure development, strategic planning, and cybersecurity measures can effectively overcome barriers. Regular evaluation of barrier dynamics is crucial for implementing adaptive measures. The results provide decision-makers with a valuable model to address the challenges and foster the efforts of SC stakeholders.
{"title":"Analysis of the Barriers to Smart City Development Using DEMATEL","authors":"Anas A. Makki, Ammar Y. Alqahtani","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010010","url":null,"abstract":"This study analyzes the barriers to developing smart cities (SCs) using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) approach. The primary objective is to identify, classify, and assess the main barriers hindering the progress of SCs. Through an extensive literature review, twelve main barriers were identified. The DEMATEL approach models and analyzes the relationships among these barriers based on expert input. The results reveal that technical problems, a lack of infrastructure, and high costs are classified as cause barriers. Security and privacy concerns and the absence of coordinated planning are classified as effect barriers. This study emphasizes the need for established criteria and iterative development requirements. Although the influence of knowledge and skills gaps and a lack of awareness is less significant, these aspects still require attention. The findings suggest that a comprehensive approach focusing on technical solutions, infrastructure development, strategic planning, and cybersecurity measures can effectively overcome barriers. Regular evaluation of barrier dynamics is crucial for implementing adaptive measures. The results provide decision-makers with a valuable model to address the challenges and foster the efforts of SC stakeholders.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"120 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139823347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
N. Downes, Harry Storch, Pham Quoc Viet, Nguyen Kieu Diem, Le Canh Dinh
This paper contributes to the understanding of the recent urban development of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Previous studies have aimed at quantifying the city’s spatial growth yet have disregarded its inherent morphological and socio-economic heterogeneity. To overcome this knowledge gap, we employ an urban structure type approach for the spatially explicit quantification of urbanisation patterns for the period 2010–2020, categorising 77,000 blocks across the entire administrative area of 2095 km2. The approach allows us to understand the basic underlying processes of urbanisation, both quantitatively and qualitatively, and the main growth corridors along the rural–urban gradient. By contextualizing and combining our findings within current literature and official planning reports, we discern between traditional urban growth and the contemporary new town development patterns, highlighting their driving forces and policy implications. Incremental plot-by-plot development along the northwest development corridor is observed as the principal mode of urban development, whilst bypass urbanisation is seen along both the eastern and southern development corridors. Our block-based results highlight the city’s key growth challenges and provide insights on a scale that is meaningful for official spatial and infrastructure planning, and periodic analysis and monitoring. As far as the authors are aware, this is the first time that an urban structure type approach was applied to understand the rapid urban growth dynamics of an emerging megacity in Southeast Asia.
{"title":"Assessing Peri-Urbanisation and Urban Transitions between 2010 and 2020 in Ho Chi Minh City using an Urban Structure Type Approach","authors":"N. Downes, Harry Storch, Pham Quoc Viet, Nguyen Kieu Diem, Le Canh Dinh","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010011","url":null,"abstract":"This paper contributes to the understanding of the recent urban development of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Previous studies have aimed at quantifying the city’s spatial growth yet have disregarded its inherent morphological and socio-economic heterogeneity. To overcome this knowledge gap, we employ an urban structure type approach for the spatially explicit quantification of urbanisation patterns for the period 2010–2020, categorising 77,000 blocks across the entire administrative area of 2095 km2. The approach allows us to understand the basic underlying processes of urbanisation, both quantitatively and qualitatively, and the main growth corridors along the rural–urban gradient. By contextualizing and combining our findings within current literature and official planning reports, we discern between traditional urban growth and the contemporary new town development patterns, highlighting their driving forces and policy implications. Incremental plot-by-plot development along the northwest development corridor is observed as the principal mode of urban development, whilst bypass urbanisation is seen along both the eastern and southern development corridors. Our block-based results highlight the city’s key growth challenges and provide insights on a scale that is meaningful for official spatial and infrastructure planning, and periodic analysis and monitoring. As far as the authors are aware, this is the first time that an urban structure type approach was applied to understand the rapid urban growth dynamics of an emerging megacity in Southeast Asia.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"346 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139833152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study analyzes the barriers to developing smart cities (SCs) using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) approach. The primary objective is to identify, classify, and assess the main barriers hindering the progress of SCs. Through an extensive literature review, twelve main barriers were identified. The DEMATEL approach models and analyzes the relationships among these barriers based on expert input. The results reveal that technical problems, a lack of infrastructure, and high costs are classified as cause barriers. Security and privacy concerns and the absence of coordinated planning are classified as effect barriers. This study emphasizes the need for established criteria and iterative development requirements. Although the influence of knowledge and skills gaps and a lack of awareness is less significant, these aspects still require attention. The findings suggest that a comprehensive approach focusing on technical solutions, infrastructure development, strategic planning, and cybersecurity measures can effectively overcome barriers. Regular evaluation of barrier dynamics is crucial for implementing adaptive measures. The results provide decision-makers with a valuable model to address the challenges and foster the efforts of SC stakeholders.
{"title":"Analysis of the Barriers to Smart City Development Using DEMATEL","authors":"Anas A. Makki, Ammar Y. Alqahtani","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010010","url":null,"abstract":"This study analyzes the barriers to developing smart cities (SCs) using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) approach. The primary objective is to identify, classify, and assess the main barriers hindering the progress of SCs. Through an extensive literature review, twelve main barriers were identified. The DEMATEL approach models and analyzes the relationships among these barriers based on expert input. The results reveal that technical problems, a lack of infrastructure, and high costs are classified as cause barriers. Security and privacy concerns and the absence of coordinated planning are classified as effect barriers. This study emphasizes the need for established criteria and iterative development requirements. Although the influence of knowledge and skills gaps and a lack of awareness is less significant, these aspects still require attention. The findings suggest that a comprehensive approach focusing on technical solutions, infrastructure development, strategic planning, and cybersecurity measures can effectively overcome barriers. Regular evaluation of barrier dynamics is crucial for implementing adaptive measures. The results provide decision-makers with a valuable model to address the challenges and foster the efforts of SC stakeholders.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"5 3-4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139883399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Over the last few years, community empowerment has become a central focus when discussing the sustainability of large-scale urban regeneration processes, especially those related to the implementation of nature-based solutions. In this article, the authors describe the experience of the CLEVER Cities project in the city of London, by looking at the dynamics of the early stages of co-creation and the implications on co-governance, motivation and policy. Particular attention is given to the importance of carefully evaluating the project context to guide where emphasis is given on the use of specific co-creation strategies such as building trust, raising awareness or networking. In this case, a set of strategies emerge that are a response to several factors but are strongly influenced by the backdrop of limited social structuring encountered in South Thamesmead, South London. The methods are derived based on a qualitative and looped observation approach over three phases applied to three urban living labs in the project area. Finally, to structure the results, an iterative co-production of knowledge approach is used to cluster the strategies into ten more synthetic recommendations based on collaborative governance, communication and capacity building, as well as incentives and motivation. Further, guidance is given by highlighting priorities to inform policy and place-based planning actions.
{"title":"Strategies for Co-Creation and Co-Governance in Urban Contexts: Building Trust in Local Communities with Limited Social Structures","authors":"Sean Bradley, I. Mahmoud","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010009","url":null,"abstract":"Over the last few years, community empowerment has become a central focus when discussing the sustainability of large-scale urban regeneration processes, especially those related to the implementation of nature-based solutions. In this article, the authors describe the experience of the CLEVER Cities project in the city of London, by looking at the dynamics of the early stages of co-creation and the implications on co-governance, motivation and policy. Particular attention is given to the importance of carefully evaluating the project context to guide where emphasis is given on the use of specific co-creation strategies such as building trust, raising awareness or networking. In this case, a set of strategies emerge that are a response to several factors but are strongly influenced by the backdrop of limited social structuring encountered in South Thamesmead, South London. The methods are derived based on a qualitative and looped observation approach over three phases applied to three urban living labs in the project area. Finally, to structure the results, an iterative co-production of knowledge approach is used to cluster the strategies into ten more synthetic recommendations based on collaborative governance, communication and capacity building, as well as incentives and motivation. Further, guidance is given by highlighting priorities to inform policy and place-based planning actions.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"57 30","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139598718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study seeks to contribute to the definition of a “no net land take” policy by 2050 for Portugal’s second-largest metropolitan region (AMP, Porto Metropolitan Area) while sensitising those involved in regional and local planning to the European target. Based on an assessment of land use changes in AMP and its municipalities during 2007–2018, soil sealing levels in 2018 and population evolution, the study quantifies the processes that may impart achievement of the 2050 objective and identifies the regional drivers of net land take, to support the definition of both interventions to decrease land take and soil sealing and related targets. The main contribution of the research is the exploration of new indicators in terms of soil sealing and population data to identify the potential for implementing interventions proposed by the EU Soil Strategy that do not jeopardise the maintenance of biodiversity in urban areas. The land take rate in the AMP was the highest among mainland Portugal regions. Its main drivers were the development of transport networks, industrial and commercial units and dispersed housing. The reuse and re-naturalisation of artificial land have seen little use in the region. Accordingly, the daily net land taken in the AMP (0.59 ha/day) still needs to decrease until 2050. While artificial land increased across the AMP, most of its municipalities lost population. To reverse this trend, the AMP should implement tighter control mechanisms that ensure that infrastructure and housing needs are fully met through the reuse of urban areas that are already sealed. However, given that the share of impermeable soil in most urban areas is already significantly high, there will have to be a careful choice of locations where intensifying land use will cause less environmental damage. It is concluded that the degree of soil sealing within urban areas is fundamental for deciding on the interventions to be carried out to reduce net land take and for defining a policy towards meeting the 2050 target.
{"title":"Monitoring Net Land Take in a Metropolitan Region—Portugal","authors":"Rita Nicolau, Beatriz Condessa","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010008","url":null,"abstract":"This study seeks to contribute to the definition of a “no net land take” policy by 2050 for Portugal’s second-largest metropolitan region (AMP, Porto Metropolitan Area) while sensitising those involved in regional and local planning to the European target. Based on an assessment of land use changes in AMP and its municipalities during 2007–2018, soil sealing levels in 2018 and population evolution, the study quantifies the processes that may impart achievement of the 2050 objective and identifies the regional drivers of net land take, to support the definition of both interventions to decrease land take and soil sealing and related targets. The main contribution of the research is the exploration of new indicators in terms of soil sealing and population data to identify the potential for implementing interventions proposed by the EU Soil Strategy that do not jeopardise the maintenance of biodiversity in urban areas. The land take rate in the AMP was the highest among mainland Portugal regions. Its main drivers were the development of transport networks, industrial and commercial units and dispersed housing. The reuse and re-naturalisation of artificial land have seen little use in the region. Accordingly, the daily net land taken in the AMP (0.59 ha/day) still needs to decrease until 2050. While artificial land increased across the AMP, most of its municipalities lost population. To reverse this trend, the AMP should implement tighter control mechanisms that ensure that infrastructure and housing needs are fully met through the reuse of urban areas that are already sealed. However, given that the share of impermeable soil in most urban areas is already significantly high, there will have to be a careful choice of locations where intensifying land use will cause less environmental damage. It is concluded that the degree of soil sealing within urban areas is fundamental for deciding on the interventions to be carried out to reduce net land take and for defining a policy towards meeting the 2050 target.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"108 46","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139614438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Barbara Cardone, Ferdinando Di Martino, Vittorio Miraglia
The application of sentiment analysis approaches to information flows extracted from the social networks connected to particular critical periods generated by pandemic, climatic and extreme environmental phenomena allow the decision maker to detect the emotional states of citizens and to determine which areas are most at risk and require specific resilient adaptation interventions. Of particular relevance today is the need to analyze the multiple risks generated by extreme phenomena in urban settlements in order for the decision maker to identify which areas are most at risk and prepare resilient intervention plans with respect to all the phenomena analyzed. In recent years, the COVID 19 pandemic emergency has forced citizens to undergo specific restrictions to protect their health; to these were added critical issues due to the occurrence of extreme climatic or environmental phenomena. In order to monitor pandemic and climate/environmental multi-risks in urban settlements, we propose a GIS-based framework in which an emotion detection method is applied to determine the prevailing emotional categories in urban study areas during pandemic periods and in the presence of extreme climatic phenomena. The framework was tested on a study area based in the six districts of the city of Bologna (Italy) in order to detect, based on the emotions expressed on social channels, which were the most critical city neighborhoods in pandemic periods and in the presence of extreme heat wave climatic events. The results show that the proposed model can represent a valid tool to support decision makers in identifying the most critical urban areas in the presence of pandemic and climate/environmental multi-risks.
{"title":"A GIS-Based Emotion Detection Framework for Multi-Risk Analysis in Urban Settlements","authors":"Barbara Cardone, Ferdinando Di Martino, Vittorio Miraglia","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010007","url":null,"abstract":"The application of sentiment analysis approaches to information flows extracted from the social networks connected to particular critical periods generated by pandemic, climatic and extreme environmental phenomena allow the decision maker to detect the emotional states of citizens and to determine which areas are most at risk and require specific resilient adaptation interventions. Of particular relevance today is the need to analyze the multiple risks generated by extreme phenomena in urban settlements in order for the decision maker to identify which areas are most at risk and prepare resilient intervention plans with respect to all the phenomena analyzed. In recent years, the COVID 19 pandemic emergency has forced citizens to undergo specific restrictions to protect their health; to these were added critical issues due to the occurrence of extreme climatic or environmental phenomena. In order to monitor pandemic and climate/environmental multi-risks in urban settlements, we propose a GIS-based framework in which an emotion detection method is applied to determine the prevailing emotional categories in urban study areas during pandemic periods and in the presence of extreme climatic phenomena. The framework was tested on a study area based in the six districts of the city of Bologna (Italy) in order to detect, based on the emotions expressed on social channels, which were the most critical city neighborhoods in pandemic periods and in the presence of extreme heat wave climatic events. The results show that the proposed model can represent a valid tool to support decision makers in identifying the most critical urban areas in the presence of pandemic and climate/environmental multi-risks.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":" 22","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139621876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mo Fan, Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali, Aldrin Abdullah, M. J. Maghsoodi Tilaki
Contemporary urban development places a critical emphasis on pedestrian environments, especially in historic cities like George Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Malaysia. Although survey questionnaires effectively captured public perceptions of issues such as poor road connectivity, weak accessibility, crime and safety concerns in George Town, they fell short in providing a comprehensive understanding of the root causes. This study leverages space syntax theory to model and analyze George Town’s unique pedestrian landscape, aiming to identify strategies for improving pedestrian networks in historical urban landscapes. Space syntax theory, known for revealing structural issues within urban contexts, is applied after a thorough examination of George Town’s urban layout, climate, architectural features, and development policies. George Town employs an informal grid layout widely utilized in British colonial port cities to enhance overall efficiency. The predominant architectural form is the shophouse, which is characterized by a ground level designed for pedestrian movement known as the “five-foot way” and adapted to Malaysia’s climate. Various axis drawing methods for the unique five-foot way under different circumstances are considered. The George Town special area plan (SAP) emphasizing heritage preservation guides development policies, thus requiring an inclusive approach to pedestrian environments. This enhances the practical significance of the current study, with the eastern and northern coastal areas serving as crucial focal points for investigation. This approach results in a comprehensive spatial model that captures the essence of George Town’s pedestrian landscape. Evaluation using space syntax indicators such as connectivity, integration, intelligibility, and choice reveals issues like poor overall network connectivity, inadequate access to key attractions, suboptimal integration, concentrated pedestrian flows, and significant safety concerns, which are exacerbated by limited infrastructure on certain two-way roads and a lack of zebra crossings. The practical implications of this study include recommendations for enhancing pedestrian spaces along identified roads and strategically installing zebra-crossings. This research is significant for its focus on a historical city in a Southeast Asian developing country, deeply integrating local environmental characteristics and providing insights into urban planning and optimization, thereby serving as a reference for similar cities.
{"title":"Using a Space Syntax Approach to Enhance Pedestrians’ Accessibility and Safety in the Historic City of George Town, Penang","authors":"Mo Fan, Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali, Aldrin Abdullah, M. J. Maghsoodi Tilaki","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010006","url":null,"abstract":"Contemporary urban development places a critical emphasis on pedestrian environments, especially in historic cities like George Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Malaysia. Although survey questionnaires effectively captured public perceptions of issues such as poor road connectivity, weak accessibility, crime and safety concerns in George Town, they fell short in providing a comprehensive understanding of the root causes. This study leverages space syntax theory to model and analyze George Town’s unique pedestrian landscape, aiming to identify strategies for improving pedestrian networks in historical urban landscapes. Space syntax theory, known for revealing structural issues within urban contexts, is applied after a thorough examination of George Town’s urban layout, climate, architectural features, and development policies. George Town employs an informal grid layout widely utilized in British colonial port cities to enhance overall efficiency. The predominant architectural form is the shophouse, which is characterized by a ground level designed for pedestrian movement known as the “five-foot way” and adapted to Malaysia’s climate. Various axis drawing methods for the unique five-foot way under different circumstances are considered. The George Town special area plan (SAP) emphasizing heritage preservation guides development policies, thus requiring an inclusive approach to pedestrian environments. This enhances the practical significance of the current study, with the eastern and northern coastal areas serving as crucial focal points for investigation. This approach results in a comprehensive spatial model that captures the essence of George Town’s pedestrian landscape. Evaluation using space syntax indicators such as connectivity, integration, intelligibility, and choice reveals issues like poor overall network connectivity, inadequate access to key attractions, suboptimal integration, concentrated pedestrian flows, and significant safety concerns, which are exacerbated by limited infrastructure on certain two-way roads and a lack of zebra crossings. The practical implications of this study include recommendations for enhancing pedestrian spaces along identified roads and strategically installing zebra-crossings. This research is significant for its focus on a historical city in a Southeast Asian developing country, deeply integrating local environmental characteristics and providing insights into urban planning and optimization, thereby serving as a reference for similar cities.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":" 21","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139626845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Urbanisation is the process whereby cities are transformed into large sprawling areas. Urbanisation combined with a continuous increase in population makes food security crucial for sustainable development. Urbanisation poses a threat to agricultural land use within built-up and peri-urban areas. It has resulted in the rapid disappearance and/or total change of agricultural farmland in urban and peri-urban areas. To monitor the changes in agricultural farmland, an understanding of changes in the urban landscape is becoming increasingly important. In this study, multi-temporal Landsat imagery were used to analyse the impact of urbanisation on urban agriculture in the city of Niamey. Changes in the urban landscape were determined using the support vector machine (machine learning) algorithm. Results of this study showed a decrease in land with crops from 3428 ha to 648 ha and an increase in built-up areas from 1352 ha to 11,596 ha between 1975 and 2020. Urbanisation and population growth are the main drivers of urban landscape change in Niamey. There was also a decrease in bare land, rock and vegetation classes, while a small increase in rice and water body classes, comparing the 1975 and 2020 values. This study demonstrates the importance of remote sensing in showing the implications of urbanisation on urban agriculture. These results can assist city planners and resource managers in decision-making and adoption of sustainable mitigation measures which are crucial for urban development.
{"title":"Urbanisation in Sub-Saharan Cities and the Implications for Urban Agriculture: Evidence-Based Remote Sensing from Niamey, Niger","authors":"Ibrahim Abdoul Nasser, E. Adam","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010005","url":null,"abstract":"Urbanisation is the process whereby cities are transformed into large sprawling areas. Urbanisation combined with a continuous increase in population makes food security crucial for sustainable development. Urbanisation poses a threat to agricultural land use within built-up and peri-urban areas. It has resulted in the rapid disappearance and/or total change of agricultural farmland in urban and peri-urban areas. To monitor the changes in agricultural farmland, an understanding of changes in the urban landscape is becoming increasingly important. In this study, multi-temporal Landsat imagery were used to analyse the impact of urbanisation on urban agriculture in the city of Niamey. Changes in the urban landscape were determined using the support vector machine (machine learning) algorithm. Results of this study showed a decrease in land with crops from 3428 ha to 648 ha and an increase in built-up areas from 1352 ha to 11,596 ha between 1975 and 2020. Urbanisation and population growth are the main drivers of urban landscape change in Niamey. There was also a decrease in bare land, rock and vegetation classes, while a small increase in rice and water body classes, comparing the 1975 and 2020 values. This study demonstrates the importance of remote sensing in showing the implications of urbanisation on urban agriculture. These results can assist city planners and resource managers in decision-making and adoption of sustainable mitigation measures which are crucial for urban development.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"52 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139386793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Juan V. Molner, Rebeca Pérez-González, J. M. Soria
Beaches, as ecosystems of high ecosocial and biodiversity importance, are threatened by human activities such as city development and port construction. This study used satellite imagery (Landsat 5, Landsat 8, and Sentinel-2) to detect a significant reduction of 70% in the beach areas of El Saler and La Garrofera (Valencia, Spain) from 170 ha in the 1990s to 43 ha in the year 2022. This process has occurred in parallel with the successive expansion of the Port of Valencia, a modifying agent of marine sedimentation in the region. In addition, encouraging results have been observed in the rehabilitation efforts in different periods. The latest work in the autumn of 2023 has improved the beach area to 112 ha. In this context, remote sensing emerges as an essential tool to monitor these ecosystems, which are important for both human welfare and biodiversity conservation, as well as to allow for monitoring during ecological restoration.
{"title":"Rehabilitation of Urban Beaches on the Mediterranean Coast in Valencia (Spain) Observed by Remote Sensing","authors":"Juan V. Molner, Rebeca Pérez-González, J. M. Soria","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010003","url":null,"abstract":"Beaches, as ecosystems of high ecosocial and biodiversity importance, are threatened by human activities such as city development and port construction. This study used satellite imagery (Landsat 5, Landsat 8, and Sentinel-2) to detect a significant reduction of 70% in the beach areas of El Saler and La Garrofera (Valencia, Spain) from 170 ha in the 1990s to 43 ha in the year 2022. This process has occurred in parallel with the successive expansion of the Port of Valencia, a modifying agent of marine sedimentation in the region. In addition, encouraging results have been observed in the rehabilitation efforts in different periods. The latest work in the autumn of 2023 has improved the beach area to 112 ha. In this context, remote sensing emerges as an essential tool to monitor these ecosystems, which are important for both human welfare and biodiversity conservation, as well as to allow for monitoring during ecological restoration.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"128 51","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139453414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Gowda, Vaishakh Kunjar, Aakash Gupta, G. Kavitha, B. K. Shukla, P. Sihag
In the realm of urban geotechnical infrastructure development, accurate estimation of the California Bearing Ratio (CBR), a key indicator of the strength of unbound granular material and subgrade soil, is paramount for pavement design. Traditional laboratory methods for obtaining CBR values are time-consuming and labor-intensive, prompting the exploration of novel computational strategies. This paper illustrates the development and application of machine learning techniques—multivariate linear regression (MLR), artificial neural networks (ANN), and the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS)—to indirectly predict the CBR based on the soil type, plasticity index (PI), and maximum dry density (MDD). Our study analyzed 2191 soil samples for parameters including PI, MDD, particle size distribution, and CBR, leveraging theoretical calculations and big data analysis. The ANFIS demonstrated superior performance in CBR prediction with an R2 value of 0.81, surpassing both MLR and ANN. Sensitivity analysis revealed the PI as the most significant parameter affecting the CBR, carrying a relative importance of 46%. The findings underscore the potent potential of machine learning and neuro-fuzzy inference systems in the sustainable management of non-renewable urban resources and provide crucial insights for urban planning, construction materials selection, and infrastructure development. This study bridges the gap between computational techniques and geotechnical engineering, heralding a new era of intelligent urban resource management.
{"title":"Prediction of the Subgrade Soil California Bearing Ratio Using Machine Learning and Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System Techniques: A Sustainable Approach in Urban Infrastructure Development","authors":"S. Gowda, Vaishakh Kunjar, Aakash Gupta, G. Kavitha, B. K. Shukla, P. Sihag","doi":"10.3390/urbansci8010004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8010004","url":null,"abstract":"In the realm of urban geotechnical infrastructure development, accurate estimation of the California Bearing Ratio (CBR), a key indicator of the strength of unbound granular material and subgrade soil, is paramount for pavement design. Traditional laboratory methods for obtaining CBR values are time-consuming and labor-intensive, prompting the exploration of novel computational strategies. This paper illustrates the development and application of machine learning techniques—multivariate linear regression (MLR), artificial neural networks (ANN), and the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS)—to indirectly predict the CBR based on the soil type, plasticity index (PI), and maximum dry density (MDD). Our study analyzed 2191 soil samples for parameters including PI, MDD, particle size distribution, and CBR, leveraging theoretical calculations and big data analysis. The ANFIS demonstrated superior performance in CBR prediction with an R2 value of 0.81, surpassing both MLR and ANN. Sensitivity analysis revealed the PI as the most significant parameter affecting the CBR, carrying a relative importance of 46%. The findings underscore the potent potential of machine learning and neuro-fuzzy inference systems in the sustainable management of non-renewable urban resources and provide crucial insights for urban planning, construction materials selection, and infrastructure development. This study bridges the gap between computational techniques and geotechnical engineering, heralding a new era of intelligent urban resource management.","PeriodicalId":510542,"journal":{"name":"Urban Science","volume":"74 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139390052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}