An uncertain programming model for land use structure optimization to promote effectiveness of land use planning

Abstract

Land use structure optimization (LUSO) is an important issue for land use planning. In order for land use planning to have reasonable flexibility, uncertain optimization should be applied for LUSO. In this paper, the researcher first expounded the uncertainties of LUSO. Based on this, an interval programming model was developed, of which interval variables were to hold land use uncertainties. To solve the model, a heuristics based on Genetic Algorithm was designed according to Pareto Optimum principle with a confidence interval under given significance level to represent LUSO result. Proposed method was applied to a real case of Yangzhou, an eastern city in China. The following conclusions were reached. 1) Different forms of uncertainties ranged from certainty to indeterminacy lay in the five steps of LUSO, indicating necessary need of comprehensive approach to quantify them. 2) With regards to trade-offs of conflicted objectives and preferences to uncertainties, our proposed model displayed good ability of making planning decision process transparent, therefore providing an effective tool for flexible land use planning compiling. 3) Under uncertain conditions, land use planning effectiveness can be primarily enhanced by flexible management with reserved space to percept and hold uncertainties in advance.