Abstract
The fractal characteristics of urban forms and road networks can provide extremely useful information for urban planning. Previous research, however, has hardly acknowledged the fractal nature of transit networks, although this topic is of vital importance given the significance of public transit to city operations. In this study, the fractal characteristics of urban surface transit and road networks were analyzed based on the case study of Strasbourg, France. Two fractal dimensions that are most widely used, the length dimension and branch dimension, were calculated and analyzed using regression and correlation analysis. The results show that surface transit networks are fractal in seven sub-districts of Strasbourg. Furthermore, a relationship was found between the length dimension and branch dimension of road network. The branch dimension of transit network was related not only to the length dimension of transit network but also to the branch dimension of road network. Based on the fractal information, the results suggest possible methods for designing good road and surface transit networks that are well-coupled in urban traffic planning. The implications for urban development are that some potential problems with regard to traffic network structure may exist if current situations are not coincident with some findings in this article.
Highlights
The term ‘‘fractal’’ was first introduced when the length of the coast of Britain was analyzed in depth
The fractal concept was proposed to characterize selfsimilarity, that is, an object is similar to itself when it becomes locally amplified. This self-similarity reflects the universal law of urban space form; many research topics are related to the fractal dimensions of cities including their road networks
The length dimension and branch dimension are the two main fractal dimensions that reflect the fractal characteristics of urban traffic networks.[27]
Summary
The term ‘‘fractal’’ was first introduced when the length of the coast of Britain was analyzed in depth. It was found that many geographical curves are statistically ‘‘self-similar,’’ such curves are so detailed that their lengths are usually indefinable or infinite.[1] Later, fractal theory was gradually applied to geometry, complex systems, geography, urban morphology, and so on.[2,3,4] cities were regarded as complex hierarchical systems,[5] and the fractal characteristics of their forms were followed with particular interest. It was because the characteristics could be used to identify urban boundaries[6] and urban pattern designs,[7] which are crucial components of urban studies.
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