Spatial Pattern and Evolution of Urban System Based on Gravity Model and Whole Network Analysis in the Huaihe River Basin of China

Yong Fan,Hao Yang,Zongyi He,Biao He,Shengdi Zhang,Haicong Yu,Xiaoxiao Ye,Zhifeng Chi,Xiangmin Zhang

doi:10.1155/2018/3698071

Abstract

The spatial pattern and evolution of urban system have been hot research issues in the field of urban research. In this paper, the network analysis method based on the gravity model and the related measurements were used to reveal the properties of the spatial pattern and evolution of the urban system in the HRB (Huaihe River Basin) of China. The findings of this study are as follows: During the period from 2006 to 2014, the economic contact between the HRB cities has been strengthened, but the differences between cities have been expanding. In general, the HRB cities have not yet formed a close network structure, and a trend of economic integration has not been found. This paper expresses the spatial pattern and evolution of urban system in an intuitive way and helps to explain the evolution mechanism of urban system. The method was confirmed by empirical research. Because of the operational and visual expression, this method has broad application prospects in the urban system research.

Highlights

The spatial pattern and evolution of urban system are important manifestations of the human social development process on a spatial level [1], which reflects the change in the human social spatial structure and reveals the spatial patterns of the overall behavior of human society
If the geographical positions of urban agglomerations are compared with several main rivers in China, it can be found that they mostly have corresponding relations
As the urban system is a self-organized system, changes in spatial patterns will normally be regular and gradual. We believe that this change is similar to network change and developed the urban system network analysis method for urban system evolution

Summary

Introduction

The spatial pattern and evolution of urban system are important manifestations of the human social development process on a spatial level [1], which reflects the change in the human social spatial structure and reveals the spatial patterns of the overall behavior of human society. These changes and their patterns are the foundations for the research of the sustainable development of human society [2]. The HRB (Huaihe River Basin) has not formed large scale urban agglomeration [5]. This paper wishes to determine the relationship between the HRB cities and puts forward feasible suggestions to promote contact between cities [6]

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion