Characteristics Of Urban Areas Research Articles

Valuation of Bus Characteristics in Urban Area: Al-Najaf as a Case Study

Increased population, the rapid growth of vehicles owned, and quick land-use shifts have resulted in an abnormal rise in trips generated and directed to and from the activities area; the occurrence of traffic congestion in different segments of the transportation network leads to extended travel time, resulting in inconvenience and discontent among individuals. It has become necessary to provide alternative transportation systems, as city residents need faster, safer, and more comfortable transportation systems. This study aims to evaluate current public transport in Najaf city and propose a bus line based on international standards as an alternative transport means in al-Najaf city and its effectiveness. Sustainable performance indicators were evaluated based on previous studies, such as traffic congestion, travel time, sustainability, and reliability. Where Traffic flow rates indicate high congestion streets, as flow rates reached 6228 (Veh. /hr.) at Karbala-Najaf Street. The more increase in flow rates the more defect in the network, and the journey time increases reached 30 minutes at Kufa-Najaf Street (8,5) km. The data of traffic mix from most of urban roads have been determined. The results of studies stated that Public The forms of transportation in the city of Najaf are generally represented by several routes starting from the Najaf internal garage and passing through small buses. These routes do not cover the entire city and the actual need for people. The percentage of transport buses and minibuses is about 0.8% and 10%, respectively. The public transport in the city is not managed by any policies and has no schedule times for travels with no considerations for passengers' comfort which indicate that public transport sector in the city of Najaf is significantly poor.

A Generalization of Building Clusters in an Urban Wind Field Simulated by CFD

The urban climate has a critical influence on developing sustainable cities, and one important factor is the urban wind environment. Moreover, refining urban wind fields is required for the quantitative assessment of urban wind environments. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a powerful tool for modeling the wind flow characteristics in urban areas. Although CFD has been widely used in various fields, its use for simulating urban wind fields has limitations because of the complexity of urban building models and the high computational workload. Accordingly, we consider the generalization parameters in the vertical and horizontal directions based on the CFD results and the building topology based on the state of the building nodes. We perform a two-dimensional generalization of building clusters, conduct spatial analysis in a geographic information system (GIS), and generate three-dimensional models. This generalization scheme is applied to Meiling Street in Jinjiang City, Fujian Province, China. The results indicate that the generalization decreases the number of buildings from 7003 to 3367 and the computation time from 11 h and 26 min to 10 h and 25 min. The computation efficiency is improved by 8.89%, with 1.85% changes in the average wind speed ratio. This scheme substantially improves the computational efficiency of urban wind field CFD simulations by reducing the geometric model’s complexity without compromising the accuracy. This strategy is suitable for simulating large-scale urban wind fields.

Pollution characteristics and secondary formation potential of volatile organic compounds in the multi-industrial city of Ulsan, Korea

The secondary formation of ozone and aerosols due to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has drawn increased attention in Ulsan, a multi-industrial city in South Korea. In this study, 52 VOCs were measured at 40 sites in four industrial (petrochemical, nonferrous, automobile, and shipbuilding) complexes and five urban sites using passive air samplers. The concentration of aromatics (44.6 μg/m3) accounted for 70.3% of the total VOC concentration (63.4 μg/m3), which was significantly higher than those of alkanes (27.5% and 17.4 μg/m3) and alkenes (2.15% and 1.37 μg/m3). The highest concentrations of total VOCs and aromatics were observed at the shipbuilding industrial complex, whereas the concentration of alkanes and alkenes was the highest in the petrochemical industrial complex. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model suggested five major VOC sources in urban areas: (1) petrochemical production processes, (2) fuel combustion and evaporation, (3) urban emissions sources, (4) solvent use, and (5) painting and metal surface coating. The PMF result indicated that the distances from the four industrial complexes substantially affected VOC pollution in the urban areas. Moreover, aromatics (e.g., m,p-xylenes, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene) exhibited higher ozone formation potential (OFP) and secondary organic aerosol formation potential (SOAFP), which were mainly emitted from solvent use and painting in the shipbuilding and automobile industrial complexes. The petrochemical industrial complex close to densely populated urban areas also contributed significantly to secondary formation potential. In conclusion, our study revealed that elevated levels of aromatics were associated with increased OFP and SOAFP. Additionally, the four industrial complexes exhibited varying impacts on pollution characteristics in urban areas. These findings have practical implications, as they can inform the development of industry-specific management strategies for mitigating VOC pollution and secondary formation in multi-industrial cities.

Pollution characteristics and source differences of VOCs before and after COVID-19 in Beijing

During the outbreak of the COVID-19, the change in the way of people's living and production provided the opportunity to study the influence of human activity on Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere. Therefore, this study analyzed VOCs concentration and composition characteristics in urban area of Beijing from 2019 to 2020. The results showed that the concentration of VOCs in Chaoyang district in 2020 was 73.1ppbv, lower than that in 2019 (92.8ppbv), and alkanes (45 % and 47 %) were the most dominant components. The concentrations of isopentane, n-pentane, n-hexane, and OVOCs significantly increased in 2020. According to the results of the PMF model, the contribution of VOCs from vehicle and pharmaceutical-related emissions increased to 45.8 % and 27.1 % in 2020, while coal combustion decreased by 23.7 %. This is likely linked to the strict implementation of the coal conversion policy, as well as the increment in individual travel and pharmaceutical production during the pandemic. The calculation results of OFP and SOAFP indicated that toluene had an increased impact on the formation of O3 and SOA in the Chaoyang district in 2020. Notably, VOCs emitted by vehicles have the highest potential for secondary generation. In addition, VOCs from vehicles and industries pose the greatest health risks, together accounting for 77.4 % and 79.31 % of the total carcinogenic risk in 2019 and 2020. Although industrial emission with the high proportions of halocarbons was controlled to some extent during the pandemic, the carcinogenic risk in 2020 was 3.74 × 10−6, which still exceeded the acceptable level, and more attention and governance efforts should be given to.

Optimal allocation of local climate zones based on heat vulnerability perspective

Global climate change presents considerable heating risks to cities, necessitating the assessment of heat vulnerability characteristics in urban areas for the advancement of human settlements and socioeconomic progress. Nevertheless, there has been a lack of extensive research regarding heat vulnerability when considering local climate zones (LCZs). In this study, we utilized data from multiple sources to construct a model for evaluating heat vulnerability along three dimensions: Exposure, Sensitivity, and Adaptability. We analyzed the spatial characteristics of heat vulnerability in the LCZs and employed a linear weighted multi-objective optimization method to reconfigure the LCZs and mitigate the Urban Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI). The findings revealed that (1) The spatial characteristics of exposure and sensitivity were similar, with high values observed in the city center and low values at the periphery. Adaptability exhibited a high–low–high pattern from the center to the edge due to the combined influence of the economy and natural factors. (2) The HVI of the built environment (building LCZ) surpassed that of the natural environment (natural LCZ) within the research area. Specifically, compact high-rise buildings (LCZ1) and compact midrise buildings (LCZ2) accounted for over 90% of the area with extremely high and high HVI values, necessitating immediate optimization efforts. (3) By considering the area and population size of the research area, we achieved an optimal heat vulnerability plan by increasing the areas of LCZ4 and LCZA while reducing the areas of LCZ8 and LCZ1, among others. Therefore, the overall HVI of the study area decreased from 49,034.67 to 41,772.37, representing a reduction of 14.81 %. This study presents an innovative approach to mitigating urban heat vulnerability, providing valuable planning references and scientific guidance to assist cities in addressing high-temperature risks.

A study on the Characteristics of HAPs in Residential areas affected by Industrial Complex using SIFT-MS

Objectives:The purpose of this study is to provide basic data so that the emission sources of industrial complexes can be effectively managed through a characteristic study of hazardous air pollutants in residential areas adjacent to the national industrial complex in Ulsan.Methods:In Yaeum-dong, a residential area near the industrial complex, SIFT-MS, which enables real-time continuous measurement, was used to identify the characteristics of VOCs and odorous substances.Results and Discussion:When looking at the concentrations by chemical substance group, aliphatic hydrocarbons accounted for a significant portion, showing different characteristics from other large cities. This indicates that the Yaeum-dong area is directly affected by the emission source of the nearby petrochemical complex. As an individual substance, ammonia showed the highest concentration among HAPs. Seasonal HAPs concentrations generally tended to be high in summer and low in winter. When examining concentrations by time of day, it showed characteristics of industrial areas affected by VOCs scattered and volatilized in national industrial complexes. In addition, it was confirmed that the characteristics of urban areas appearing in general metropolitan traffic congestion zones appeared at the same time. Compared with the results of other previous studies, in general, there was no significant difference in concentrations from the results of measurements in residential areas near petrochemical complexes. And it showed a much lower concentrations than the measured value in industrial complex. As a result of CPF analysis for estimating the source of pollutants, most HAPs showed high concentrations in the south wind direction, indicating that the measurement point was affected by the industrial complex.Conclusion:As a result of the study on the characteristics of HAPs in residential areas near the industrial complex, it can be estimated that both characteristics appear in industrial and urban areas.

Carbon Sink Performance Evaluation and Socioeconomic Effect of Urban Aggregated Green Infrastructure Based on Sentinel-2A Satellite

Aggregated green infrastructure is the only element that has a relatively concentrated and well-functioning carbon sink in the city. It plays an important role in achieving carbon neutrality in urban areas with dense functions and scarce carbon sink resources. However, in contrast to other regions, aggregated green infrastructure carbon sink performance is more influenced by socioeconomic activities in urban centres. There is a lack of research on the impact between carbon sink performance and socioeconomic activities at the urban scale. In this study, we evaluated the carbon sink performance (i.e., carbon sink and location entropy) of aggregated green infrastructure and its interaction with socioeconomic activities at the urban scale based on Sentinel-2A satellite. The results showed that: (1) Aggregate green infrastructures with high carbon sink performance have significant aggregation characteristics in urban areas. (2) Aggregated green infrastructure with poor carbon sink performance tended to be surrounded by dense socioeconomic activities. Our study provides a new approach to the assessment of carbon sink performance of aggregated green infrastructure at the urban scale. More importantly, we make a new attempt to assess the association between carbon sink performance and socioeconomic activities of urban aggregated green infrastructure. These results point to a new direction for the realization of carbon neutrality in cities.

The Association Between Living Area in Childhood and Respiratory Disease Mortality in Adulthood.

Objective: No studies have examined the association between characteristics of urban areas and future respiratory disease mortality. We examined whether the type of living area during childhood was associated with all-cause and respiratory disease mortality in adulthood. Methods: A total of 81,413 Japanese participants aged 40–79 years old completed a lifestyle questionnaire including the type of childhood living areas. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to calculate the multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of all-cause and respiratory disease mortality. Results: Living in large city areas in childhood was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality [HR = 1.05 (95% CI, 1.01–1.10)], but not with respiratory disease mortality [HR = 1.04 (95% CI, 0.92–1.18)] compared to rural and remote areas. The excess risk of all-cause and respiratory disease mortality was primarily found in industrial areas among men; the respective multivariable HRs were 1.28 (95% CI, 1.00–1.64) and 1.90 (95% CI: 1.10–3.29). Conclusion: Eliminating childhood health hazards associated with living in industrial areas suggested to reduce the risk of mortality from respiratory diseases in adulthood.

P08-12 Equity review of the relationship between the physical environment and physical activity

BackgroundThe impact of the physical environment on physical activity is not equal for all citizens. According to the socioecological theory, moderators of the association can for example be income, education, age, ethnicity and gender. These moderating conditions are important for practice in order to plan and initiate the best solutions for different population groups.MethodsBased on a systematic review process 1464 studies were screened. After title, abstract and full text reading 41 studies remained and constitute the basis for this presentation.ResultsCitizens with different sociodemographic backgrounds are often geographically divided within cities. Looking at the overall characteristics of urban areas, studies show that citizens with lower incomes and shorter education often live in areas with higher population density and generally shorter distances to daily destinations. Conversely, citizens with higher incomes and longer education often have better access to trails, sidewalks and sports facilities. Several of the included studies find that access to facilities is inferior for low-income citizens, but other studies indicate that social and personal factors also play a role in the use of the areas. Adding to this, some evidence possits a lower adoption of for example new bike trails for citizens with shorter education. This leads many of the studies to recommend holistic efforts where improvements in the built environment are initiated simultaneously with other types of efforts that strengthen information, skills and motivation for physical activity. For example, combine cheaper or free access to sports facilities or gyms with marketing and beginners' courses. Another important finding from the equity review is a focus on safety from crime and traffic, which more often is a problem in low income areas, and at the same time a larger perceived barrier for women and elderly people.ConclusionThe interplay between sociodemographic characteristic and the physical environment is complex, but the review points to some important findings.

Modeling spatiotemporal associations of obesity prevalence with biking, housing cost and green spaces in Chicago, IL, USA, 2015–2017

IntroductionObesity is an epidemic that threatens global wellbeing and contributes to an array of illnesses. The prevalence of obesity in the United States has increased substantially in past decades. Focusing on the city of Chicago, IL, USA as a case study, we investigate spatiotemporally varying relationships between obesity and three characteristics of urban areas: green space, biking, and housing cost. We address socio-environmental interventions to control obesity using spatiotemporal data on obesity prevalence. MethodsWe illustrate the spatiotemporal distribution of obesity using the space-time scan statistic to supplement choropleth maps of obesity prevalence in Chicago. In addition, we employ geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR), an extension of the geographically weighted regression (GWR) model, to simultaneously address both, the spatial and temporal non-stationarity of obesity prevalence. Lastly, we compare GTWR to GWR and the traditional ordinary least squares (OLS) model to assess the effect of spatial and temporal dependency in the data. ResultsOur findings show that the prevalence of obesity varies over time and space in Chicago, with clusters in the city's south and west. Prediction error of our regression models (AIC) decreases with model complexity (OLS: 15,931; GWR: 14,351; GTWR: 14,266). Obesity is negatively associated with green space in the city center but positively associated in the outskirts of Chicago. In addition, obesity is related to poor biking infrastructure and high rent throughout the city. ConclusionsThe findings may encourage planners and policymakers to improve active urban transportation, access to green spaces, housing affordability, and geographic surveillance of obesity as a means of identifying the most vulnerable communities.

The Iconic Language in Reading and Interpretation of the Cognitive Map

The graphic representation of the "vision" of the land planner in identifying rural communities entails several cognitive mechanisms. This first step of establishing a basic degree of environmental awareness is critical. The assignment requires the capacity to embody a complex visual world and convey it graphically in a simple and illustrated manner. This article examines an intervention in a rural agglomeration's space. It is a set of ordered functions endowed with meaning. The article aims to scientifically explain the process of creating a participatory habitat and investigate the experience of the occupants by developing a scientific language with graphomotor capabilities around the concepts of vision, space, and representations. The method used is the collection and interpretation of twelve cognitive maps created by the designer and residents of Douar Lemzara, Setif, Algeria. The concepts and models of cognitive mapping point to the conclusion that the cognitive map is an effective method for reading the environment's actual information. Cognitive map analysis enables a better understanding of the most prominent physical characteristics of urban areas. Based on the analysis of respondents' cognitive maps, it is recommended to prioritize the treatment of Algeria's urban environment and engage residents in land use and planning. This opportunity to investigate and approach cognitive representations of space represents a novel mode of investigation and enrichment of the toolkits of various stakeholders in space, as well as an opportunity to improve inhabitants' experience.

Transition of Socio-Demographic Characteristics in Urban Areas by Applying a Topic Model to Small Area Units

Under the depopulation society in Japan, the hollowing out and suburbanization of urban areas have become very serious problems, but an appropriate analytical tool for land use transition has not yet been proposed. This study analyzes the transitions in socio-demographic characteristics of small area units in the Fukuoka and Kitakyushu metropolitan areas by applying a topic model to geographical data. Plotting the topic shares on a map clarified the spatial distribution of topics, and the transitions between two cross-sections were analyzed along with other geographical characteristics. Our empirical study showed that the topic model could clearly and quantitatively describe the transitions between two cross-sections of these urban areas. The topic model revealed that the urban center of the Fukuoka metropolitan area was expanding, while the urban center of the Kitakyushu metropolitan area was shrinking. In suburban areas, both metropolitan areas had increasing low-density residential and commercial land use. In the Kitakyushu metropolitan area, this transition could seriously threaten the sustainability of land use, since the total population had significantly decreased.

Calculation method of short-duration rainstorm intensity formula considering nonstationarity of rainfall series: impacts on the simulation of urban drainage system

AbstractThe changing nature of the Earth's climate and rapid urbanization lead to the change of rainfall characteristics in urban areas, the stability of rainfall series is destroyed and it is a difficult challenge to consider this change in urban drainage simulation. A generalized additive model (GAMLSS) with time as covariant was established to calculate and predict the design values of extreme rainstorm return period, and the nonstationary short-duration rainstorm intensity formula of three periods was fitted and compared with the stationary formula. The urban water simulation model and the MIKE 21 two-dimensional surface flow model are coupled to simulate the urban flood under different formulas and different return periods. The results show that the nonstationary results are worse in the same period. In the 5-year return period rainfall–runoff simulation performance, the nonstationary inundation area is 18.5% more than the stationary, and inundation water is 23.5% more than the stationary. The nonstationary simulation results show higher inundation depth and slower flood recession process. These gaps will widen in the future, but they will become less significant as the return period increases. It can provide a reference for the study of flood control work and the design of existing drainage infrastructure in the region.

Investigation and simulation of flood inundation hazard in urban areas in Iran

Extensive impervious area and the man-made streams are the characteristics of urban areas. In recent years, rapid urbanization has led to change of rural areas into urban areas, and urban runoff will increase as the result of spread and growth of impervious areas. Land use changes, increasing urbanization, unauthorized construction, inefficiency of sewage system and increased impervious surface in urban areas have significant impacts on inundation hazard. Therefore, to manage urban areas and prioritize regions to inundation elimination problems, the area most affected by inundation should be determined. In this study, the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) is used to simulate the rainfall-runoff in the study area. The simulated runoff in the SWMM model is used as input to the HEC-RAS model and determines inundation hazard zones in 5, 25 and 50 return periods. Then, six factors such as distance from the main channel, slope, land use, drainage density, the main channel slope and elevation were selected to determine inundation hazard map using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The results showed that the combined model (SWMM and HEC-RAS) was suitable to analyze urban inundation and determine inundation hazard zones on urban areas. Simulated results can be used to develop urban inundation hazard forecasts. In addition, the result of inundation hazard map indicates that 8.2% of the case study is determined as a high hazard zone.

The relevance of psychoacoustic percentiles for the description of morphological characteristics in urban areas

Research over the last decade has explored the relevance of psychoacoustic indicators such as Loudness (N), Sharpness (S), Roughness (R) and Fluctuation Strength (FS) for the description of the perceptual construct of soundscapes. Furthermore, the recent ISO 12913-2 standard, published in 2018, recommends their use for the quantitative assessment of soundscapes. However, usually, investigations on soundscapes are using averages of the psychoacoustic indicators, and little research has evaluated the relevance of percentiles for the perceptual description of physical environments in terms of geometrical features, prevailing noise sources, temporal and meteorological variables, etc. This study aims to verify whether psychoacoustic percentiles can representatively describe the geometrical features of different urban sonic environments. For this purpose, recordings were taken in Aachen and Madrid in different days and seasons, at 14 certain locations in each town. In addition, morphological data was collected of the sites. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA), conducted on psychoacoustic percentiles (i.e., P1, P5, P10, P50, P90, P95, P99) of N, S, R and FS and geometrical features (road, pedestrian sidewalk and propagation path widths, as well as building heights), showed well-defined components, highlighting the fact that some percentiles can describe specific geometrical features of the urban sonic environments.

Ethnocultural and socioeconomic disparities in exposure to residential greenness within urban Canada.

Residential greenness has been associated with health benefits, such as lower risk of mortality, cardiovascular disease, obesity, adverse birth outcomes and asthma and better psychological health. However, the variation in greenness across socioeconomic and demographic characteristics in urban areas of Canada has not been well documented. Respondents to the 2016 Census long-form questionnaire were assigned estimates of exposure to residential greenness based on the mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) (from 2012 or the most recent year available) within a 500 m buffer around their home, based on postal code. Census weights were used to determine differences in average exposure to greenness according to selected demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Mean residential greenness among the 5.3 million census respondents in urban Canada was 0.44 units of the NDVI (standard deviation = 0.18 units). Greenness was lower among immigrants (particularly recent immigrants), some groups designated as visible minorities (particularly people of Filipino ancestry), lower-income households and tenants (i.e., NDVI values ranging from 0.40 to 0.43 units). Greenness values were highest among White non-immigrants and higher-income households (i.e., NDVI values ranging from 0.46 to 0.47 units). Given the potentially multifaceted role that greenness plays in health outcomes, the inequalities in residential greenness described here may contribute to producing or exacerbating existing health inequalities in the Canadian population.

Heat risk of residents in different types of communities from urban heat-exposed areas

Heat risk assessment is important due to serious health problems caused by heat waves. The complexity and diversity of socio-ecological characteristics in urban areas that lead to heat risk are more serious in heat-exposed areas, while risk assessments and determinant based on individuals in heat-exposed areas have been neglected in previous studies. This study pursues a new idea of combining questionnaire surveys and remote sensing analysis to identify urban heat-exposed areas and assess heat risk in heat-exposed areas of Beijing, China. Morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) was used to identify large and continuous hotspot regions as urban heat-exposed areas based on summer surface temperature from 2011 to 2017. A total of 1484 valid questionnaires were completed by residents of heat-exposed areas. The majority of respondents (96.4%) indicated that they perceived heat risk. Moreover, the residents without a local “hukou” were a potentially vulnerable group (note: hukou refers to the population registration management system.). This study further analysed the diversity of community types within the heat-exposed areas. There were significant differences in heat risk among the different community types of multi-story residential districts, Hutong (a traditional architectural form) residential districts and city villages. In particular, the degree of heat risk perceived by residents living in these the community types was determined by whether they had pre-existing medical conditions; however, age only played a decisive role in city villages. This study not only enriches the current understanding of health risks affected by heat waves but also explores the determinants contributing to the severity of heat risk. The output provides important information for future development of heat mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Drainage System Sustainability in Bodity town, Southern Ethiopia

Urbanization is one of the key factors that contribute to urban flooding, which has caused major destruction to the environment, public and private buildings and disrupts public life. In particular, the increase in population and building density influence the change in hydrological characteristics in urban areas. This study assessed the approach to drainage system sustainability in Bodity town. To this end, households of the town and public sector officials were interviewed to obtain necessary information for the study. Inadequate coverage, poor quality and inappropriate provision of drainage infrastructure were problems identified in the study. Weak technical and institutional capacities associated with lack of finance, lack of integration among concerned bodies, lack of community participation and poor operation and maintenance are factors constraining proper drainage infrastructure provision and worsening the situation in the study area.

The Relationship between User Perception and Preference of Greenway Trail Characteristics in Urban Areas

Greenways provide multiple benefits for trail users’ individual experiences based on users’ background environment and their perceptions of characteristics such as the trail width, vegetation, water, and facilities. Although greenway trail characteristics are important factors that affect users’ preferences, only a few studies have examined individuals’ experiences of greenways based on their perceptions and preferences. The purpose of this study is to examine how greenway trails can be designed to improve users’ experiences in relation to their perceptions and preferences by considering trail characteristics. We examine the relationship between greenway trail characteristics and likability using t-tests as well as correlation and multiple regression analyses. In the current study, virtual tour surveys of greenway users were conducted, with two urban greenway trails as the study sites: Town Lake Trail in Austin, Texas, and Buffalo Bayou Trail in Houston, Texas. Perceptions of all eight greenway trail characteristics, except for background buildings, were significantly different between the trails, and a significant difference in likability was found for five characteristics (the presence of water, trail facilities, trail width, adjacent automobile traffic, and built structures on the trail). In addition, the results of the correlation and multiple regression analyses revealed that the presence of water, amount of vegetation, automobile traffic, and built structures were correlated with likability. These findings suggest that designing appropriate types of greenway trails can help increase users’ likeability ratings of urban greenways. This study contributes to the enhancement of trail environments by providing strategies for practitioners to effectively design and manage greenways.

Interoperability: A conceptual framework to bridge the gap between multifunctional and multisystem urban flood management

AbstractUrban flood management is increasingly expected to be multifunctional to integrate with the existing functioning of cities. Locally, this led to the development of sustainable urban water drainage designs, while at larger scales, blue‐green or water‐sensitive cities are considered as examples for how cities should function. Upscaling local designs to city‐scale flood resilience is not straightforward, however, due to the complexity of physical infrastructure and socio‐economic interactions within urban systems and requires “system‐of‐systems” thinking. To this end, we introduce the concept “interoperability” to guide transition from local multifunctionality to city‐scale multisystem flood management, through actively managing connections between infrastructure systems to convey, divert, and store flood water. While flood management is already based on these connections, interoperability is about explicitly emphasising them to explore and create opportunities to facilitate the integration of systems for flood management. The main research need arising from this conceptualisation is to determine how spatial data on infrastructure, environment, and social characteristics in urban areas can serve as a basis to identify opportunities and barriers for interoperability. By introducing interoperability and the research needs arising from it, a framework is created to facilitate and encourage practical thinking and discussion about system integration in urban flood management.