GIS-based Techniques Research Articles

Unraveling the spatio-temporal trajectories of urban growth in Asansol city, West Bengal: A geospatial exploration of the emerging urbanlandscape

The rapid urban growth of Asansol City has led to the rise of unplanned built-up areas, disrupting natural land covers and posing challenges to sustainable resource management. Hence, this study aims to quantify spatio-temporal trajectories of urban growth in Asansol City during 1991–2021, using integrated remote sensing and GIS-based techniques. Landsat 5 TM and 8 OLI/TIRS satellite imageries were used to delineate built-up and non-built-up areas using a random forest machine-learning algorithm. The study utilized the gradient approach, urban sprawl typologies, urban expansion indices, shannon’s entropy, and landscape fragmentation metrics to analyze the pattern, direction, intensity and dynamics of urban expansion in a space-time context. The findings showed that built-up growth increased significantly from 25.49 sq. km. to 57.18 sq. km. between 1991 and 2021, with the highest growth observed in the westward direction and within 3 km from the CBD. The study highlighted the prevalence of edge expansion and scatter development as dominant typologies of urban growth. Urban expansion indices, shannon's entropy and landscape fragmentation metrics analysis revealed the increasing urban sprawl towards the periphery and the formation of clustered built-up areas near the CBD. The outcomes of this study provide a basis for sustainable urban development by quantifying spatio-temporal trajectories and highlighting challenges from unrestrained growth of Asansol municipal corporation.

Spatial Analysis of Air Pollutants in an Industrial City Using GIS-Based Techniques: A Case Study of Pavlodar, Kazakhstan

The given research employs high-resolution air quality monitoring and contemporary statistical methods to address gaps in understanding the urban air pollution in Pavlodar, a city with a significant industrial presence and promising touristic potential. Using mobile air quality sensors for detailed spatial data collection, the research aims to quantify concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ground-level ozone (O3); assess their distribution; and identify key influencing factors. In this study, we employed Geographic Information Systems (GISs) for spatial analysis, integrating multi-level B-spline interpolation to model spatial variability. Correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were utilized to explore the relationships between variables, while regression analysis was conducted to quantify these relationships. These techniques were crucial for accurately mapping and interpreting spatial patterns and their underlying factors. The study identifies PM2.5 and NO2 as the primary contributors to air pollution in Pavlodar, with NO2 exceeding the 24 h threshold in 87.38% of locations and PM2.5 showing the highest individual air quality index (AQI) in 75.7% of cases. Correlation analysis reveals a positive association between PM2.5 and AQI and a negative correlation between NO2 and AQI, likely due to the dominant influence of PM2.5 in AQI calculations. Structural equation modeling (SEM) further underscores PM2.5 as the most significant impactor on AQI, while NO2 shows no significant direct impact. Humidity is positively correlated with AQI, though this relationship is context-specific to seasonal patterns observed in May. The sectoral analysis of landscape indices reveals weak correlations between the green space ratio (GSR) and air quality, indicating that while vegetation reduces pollutants, its impact is minimal due to urban planting density. The road ratio (RR) lacks sufficient statistical evidence to draw conclusions about its effect on air quality, possibly due to the methodology used. Spatial variability in pollutant concentrations is evident, with increasing PM2.5, PM10, and AQI towards the east-northeast, likely influenced by industrial activities and prevailing wind patterns. In contrast, NO2 pollution does not show a clear geographic pattern, indicating vehicular emissions as its primary source. Spatial interpolation highlights pollution hotspots near industrial zones, posing health risks to vulnerable populations. While the city’s overall AQI is considered “moderate”, the study highlights the necessity of implementing measures to improve air quality in Pavlodar. This will not only enhance the city’s attractiveness to tourists but also support its sustainable development as an industrial center.

Multi-Scale Analysis of Lyme Disease Ecology

Multi-Scale Analysis of Lyme Disease Ecology

Basin scale monitoring of microplastics and phthalates in sediments from the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Makran using GIS-based algorithms: Insights towards spatial variation and potential risk assessment

Information on sedimentary microplastics and phthalates has been restricted to the coastal regions of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Makran. Our basin-wide study monitored their levels, spatial behaviors, and potential risks using GIS-based techniques. Microplastics and phthalates ranged from 5 to 75 particles/kg d.w and 0.004–1.219 μg g−1 d.w, respectively. Microplastics were in the size category of 100 μm to 3 mm, and black microfibers (< 1 mm) and high-density polymers were dominant. The total number of microplastics was between 356.333 × 1012 and 469.075 × 1012 particles in the surface sediments of the studied regions (confidence interval = 99 %). Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and Di-isobutyl phthalate contributed 88 % of detected phthalates. Significant correlations among microplastic abundance, total phthalates, and DEHP were distinguished (p < 0.05). Overall, the findings reiterated the widespread presence of microplastics and a potential link between phthalates and microplastics. Semi-variogram, cluster Voronoi polygons, and Trend analysis identified spatial outliers and major deposition sites of microplastics and phthalates and consequently outlined the localities where upcoming studies should be concentrated. A hotspot of potential risks was marked using Fuzzy logic and GIS-based algorithms in the Sea of Makran, covering an area equal to 342. 99 km2.

Assessing Groundwater Resources Vulnerability with the New DRASTIC-LP: A Case Study in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand

Groundwater vulnerability has gained widespread attention, particularly in Chiang Mai Province, one of Thailand’s fastest-growing cities, which is experiencing rapid development in both economic and social sectors. The expansion of urban communities and the industrial, tourism, and agriculture sectors has resulted in the overutilization of available resources, notably water resources. This overuse, coupled with the adoption of modern technology to boost productivity and meet market demands, has led to an increased reliance on groundwater to supplement surface water sources, providing benefits across all sectors. However, the economic and social growth plays a pivotal role in shaping the diversity of land use, encompassing residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural activities. These activities, in turn, directly contribute to environmental pollution, particularly in terms of the risk of groundwater contamination in Chiang Mai Province. This study aims to predict the future vulnerabilities of groundwater resources under an ensemble of climate change scenarios and changes in land-use patterns. Chiang Mai Province in northern Thailand is one of the fastest-growing cities and therefore is experiencing rapid urbanization, as well as land-use pattern changes, which was important for the case study. The new DRASTIC model, namely the DRASTIC-LP model, combined with GIS-based techniques and overlay techniques, was used to generate the map of groundwater resource vulnerabilities. A point pollution source (P)-related land-use pattern (L) that represents contamination impacts was considered an additional new DRASTIC parameter. The study’s findings reveal the high reliability and maximum effectiveness of the new DRASTIC-LP model in assessing groundwater vulnerability and contamination-risk areas under a climate change scenario (by MIROC-ESM-CHEM model under RCP.8.5 scenario) and land-use pattern changes (by CA_Markov Chian Model) for both the current year (2020) and the next 50-year period (2021–2070). Furthermore, the new DRASTIC-LP model is employed to trace the movement of pollutants from high- to very high-risk areas based on the groundwater vulnerability and contamination-risk maps. The results highlight that waste disposal dumping sites pose a more critical distribution and movement of pollutants when compared to industrial sites. Additionally, unconsolidated aquifers and cracked consolidated rock aquifers show a potentially higher occurrence of pollutant distribution and movement when compared to consolidated aquifers. Consequently, the study’s outcomes are applied to formulate guidelines for the management and control of groundwater resource contamination. These guidelines serve as valuable tools for decision makers, aiding in pollution prevention and the effective management of contamination risks in groundwater resources.

Calibrating Complexity: A Comprehensive Approach to Developing Stage–Storage–Discharge Relationships for Geographically Isolated Wetlands (GIWs) in W-C Florida

Geographically isolated wetlands (GIWs) play a critical role in regional hydrology, streamflow, groundwater recharge, evapotranspiration, and water quality. Despite their importance, research on quantifying discharges from these wetlands remains scarce. This study focuses on the hydrological characterization of GIWs in W-C Florida, a region where they cover a significant proportion of the land surface. The paper introduces a new procedure for developing Stage–Storage–Discharge (rating) characteristics essential for deterministic hydrological modeling in larger geographic areas. The approach synthesizes and extends previous research methodologies and offers simplified key modeling coefficients (m and n), which act as intelligent calibration knobs. These coefficients, when coupled with easily derivable physical attributes such as areas, slopes, and elevations, allow for the accurate simulation of downstream discharge timings and magnitudes, including flood behavior. The proposed method was tested using observational data from well-calibrated models. The results indicated a relative error of −7.2% for stage–storage and 15% for stage–discharge. GIS-based techniques were evaluated against surveyed data, and the results showed an accuracy of 0.16 m (0.52 ft) in estimating both the invert elevation and the maximum depth of GIWs. This effort will ultimately contribute to a better understanding and management of these critical ecosystems.

Application of GIS and HEC-RAS for flood risk assessment of Ofu River catchment in Nigeria

While flood inundation mapping and risk assessment have been identified as nonstructural measures for the control of floods, the application of GIS-based techniques has been identified as better alternatives to the traditional methods used over time. GIS tools and HEC-RAS models were utilized for a comprehensive flood risk assessment of the Ofu River Catchment as a case study. A total land area of 265.436 km2 and 92,016 persons are at risk of a 100-year flood return period, while a land area of 265.916 km2 and 1,959,288 persons are at risk of a 200-year flood in addition to roads, built and scattered settlements, forest reserves, oil palm plantations, churches, mosques, schools, police stations, primary health clinics, markets, and wireless masts that will be at risk. The study demonstrated that the application of the GIS and HEC-RAS models is an effective tool for accurate flood risk assessment at the catchment level.

Supervised Classification of Groundwater Potential Mapping Using Integrated Machine Learning and GIS-Based Techniques

Supervised Classification of Groundwater Potential Mapping Using Integrated Machine Learning and GIS-Based Techniques

Linking social-ecological management and ecosystem service bundles: Lessons from a peri-urban agriculture landscape

Peri-urban ecosystems especially peri-urban agriculture play an important part in multiple dimensions of both rural and urban sustainability and resilience. Yet such ecosystems on which diverse services depend are not given the commensurate concerns like city themes, and thus the lack of understanding about the interdependence characteristic within ES variation and the driving mechanism of socio-environmental factors limits effective ecological policymaking and urban-rural planning. In this study, we provided a framework revealing the complicated relationship of ecosystem services in a peri-urban area in southern Shanghai, China which is dominated by agricultural landscapes. Our findings stem from a combination of mapping quantification, statistical approaches and GIS-based techniques. The results showed that the provisioning services show trade-offs to some extent with regulating and cultural services. Six distinct ecosystem service bundles are identified and they are shaped by numerous site-specific characteristics which foster the orientation of ecosystem service management toward multifunctionality. We concluded that the spatially explicit information with GIS-based trade-off analysis is an efficient way to uncover the complicated relationships among various ecosystem services. The optimization of land cover forms and landscape characteristics is required for the sustainable management of agricultural landscapes. Ecosystem service bundles incorporating landscape features and differentiated perceptions of local residents provide rich evidence for the formulation of sustainable cultural land management strategies. They should be regarded as an indispensable element in developing both city and rural planning and multifunctional management.

Evaluation method of marine spaces for the planning and exploitation of offshore wind farms in isolated territories. A two-island case study

The interest in offshore wind energy is fundamentally based in most cases on the exploitation of the high levels of wind power found in offshore areas. The evaluation of marine spaces for planning and exploitation of this type of energy source is even more important in territories with isolated and/or weak electrical systems and limited available territory. In the study developed in this paper, GIS-based techniques are applied to identify priority zones for the exploitation of offshore wind farms in the islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife, the two largest of the eight islands that make up the Canary Archipelago (Spain). The zones identified are prioritized and differentiated by the most viable type of wind turbine substructure technology (bottom-fixed or floating), capacity factor (in MWh/MW), and specific cost (€/MWh). The results are expressed in map form, which can form part of future energy planning processes for the islands. The resulting identified offshore priority zones comprise 375.9 and 68.2 km2, with bottom-fixed:floating surface area ratios of 1:6 and 1:21, for Gran Canaria and Tenerife, respectively. The method developed in this paper is vital for detailed energy planning, an important aspect in the optimization process of offshore wind energy integration in isolated and/or weak electrical systems.

Spatial distribution and risk identification of arsenic contamination in water and soil through GIS-based interpolation techniques in Jianghan Plain, Central China

Arsenic is considered a poison because of its seriously toxic effects on the human body; elevated concentrations of arsenic in drinking water have been reported in different parts of the world. Investigating the arsenic distributions in soil, surface water (SW), and groundwater (GW) is an interesting topic of research, along with probing its correlations with local factors of the ecosystem and other hydrogeochemical parameters. This study mainly aims to investigate the impacts of various factors on elevated arsenic concentrations in water and soil. The following factors are assessed for their relationship to the propagation of arsenic in Jianghan Plain, which is the study area: population density, pumping rate, rain, land use, surface elevation, water level, and heavy metal contamination. The arsenic contamination potential prediction map and categories were developed using GIS-based techniques, such as ordinary kriging and quantile methods. Then, the “raster calculator” tool was applied to verify the impacts of the abovementioned factors on arsenic concentration. Eighty-four single-factor, bi-factor, and multi-factor models were established to investigate the effective combinations among the factors. Land use and pumping rate were identified from the soil through an equal frequency tool, whereas water population density and pumping rate were obtained with high matching percentages. The arsenic concentrations varied in the ranges of 0.0001–0.1582 mg/L in GW, 0.0003–0.05926 mg/L in SW, and 1.820–46.620 mg/kg in soil sediment. The single factors showed the best equal frequency of arsenic concentration in water for population density (68.62%) and in soil for land use (65.57%) and pumping (63.66%). Statistical calculations with percentage frequency factors also depicted a positive trend. Arsenic was reported to have high correlations with Fe in GW (r2 = 0.4193), with EC in SW (r2 = 0.4817), and with Cu in soil (r2 = 0.623). It is observed that the alkaline behaviors of water bodies are associated with arsenic mobility. Elevated arsenic values were observed in grids along surface flows with high anthropogenic activities and urbanization. Additionally, low concentrations of Fe depicted reduced activities in aquifer systems. Filtering drinking water as well as controlling the suspected sources and factors affecting concentrations of arsenic in the three phases are options for reducing the health risks of the local populations.

Mapping Of Land Use Changes In Urban Catchments. A Case Of Msimbazi Catchment In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Rapid urbanization activities may put significant pressure on catchments around the globe as they are also associated with the change in land use/land cover. This study used GIS-based techniques to investigate the land use/land cover changes in the Msimbazi river catchment in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The Landsat images of the selected study years (1998, 2009, and 2018) were processed in ArcGIS software. The land use classes were grouped into five groups namely; water bodies, forests, developed high intensity, developed medium intensity, and developed low intensity. This study observed significant changes in land use/land cover in the Msimbazi catchment from 1998 to 2018, with an estimated 40.54% decrease in developed low-intensity areas, as well as a 15.95% increase in developed high-intensity areas defined with 80% to 100% impervious cover. The extent of development and impervious surface cover were observed to be increasing towards the downstream approaching the Indian Ocean coast. The results from this study reflect the reality of the catchment where downstream is characterized with more development activities than the upstream of the catchment. The results derived from this study can be useful in the planning and implementation of catchment management practices.

Mapping of Land Use Changes in Urban Catchments. A Case of Msimbazi Catchment in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Rapid urbanization activities may put significant pressure on catchments around the globe as they are also associated with the change in land use/land cover. This study used GIS-based techniques to investigate the land use/land cover changes in the Msimbazi river catchment in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The Landsat images of the selected study years (1998, 2009, and 2018) were processed in ArcGIS software. The land use classes were grouped into five groups namely; water bodies, forests, developed high intensity, developed medium intensity, and developed low intensity. This study observed significant changes in land use/land cover in the Msimbazi catchment from 1998 to 2018, with an estimated 40.54% decrease in developed low-intensity areas, as well as a 15.95% increase in developed high-intensity areas defined with 80% to 100% impervious cover. The extent of development and impervious surface cover were observed to be increasing towards the downstream approaching the Indian Ocean coast. The results from this study reflect the reality of the catchment where downstream is characterized with more development activities than the upstream of the catchment. The results derived from this study can be useful in the planning and implementation of catchment management practices.

Operational Mapping and Post-Disaster Hazard Assessment by the Development of a Multiparametric Web App Using Geospatial Technologies and Data: Attica Region 2021 Wildfires (Greece)

The environmental effects of wildfires are a hot issue in current research. This study examines the effects of the 2021 wildfires in the Attica region in Greece based on Earth observation and GIS-based techniques for the development of a web app that includes the derived knowledge. The effects of wildfires were estimated with the use of Sentinel-2 satellite imagery concerning burned area extent and burn severity using a NBR-based method. In addition, the erosion risk was modeled on a pre-fire and post-fire basis with the RUSLE. This study highlights the importance of assessing the effects of wildfires with a holistic approach to produce useful knowledge tools in post-fire impact assessment and restoration.

Spatializing inequality across residential built-up types: A relational geography of urban density in São Paulo, Brazil.

Overcrowding in informal housing is a core problem in international development debates, whereby slum upgrading is viewed as a dominant policy to integrate formal and informal areas. Conceptually, challenges to socio-spatial integration are associated with unbalanced development processes of urban de- and re-densification beyond the housing level. However, a lack of empirical understanding of these processes limits the case for redistributive land use policies to complement slum upgrading. To address this gap, our study adopts an exploratory approach, applying GIS-based techniques to population census and open data on land use in São Paulo, Brazil, in order to analyze the distribution of population densities across residential built-up types in informal and informal areas, although there are constrains related to small-scale spatial data sources on urban density. This shows that informal settlements are indeed the densest residential built-up type in the city while revealing the underlying spatial inequality between informal settlements and low-rise, high-standard residential areas. We suggest that more emphasis be placed on the design and implementation of redistributive policies to avoid spatialized forms of inequality associated with uneven urban development. This will ensure the spatial and social integration of urban areas.

DETECTION AND SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF LAND-USE: A CASE OF BUTUAN CITY WITH HISTORY OF MAJOR INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS

Abstract. This study detects the significant informal settlements in Butuan City proper. It determines the growth rate in 15 years with the given five-year interval. Machine learning algorithms and spatial analysis were applied to obtain the possible locations of informal settlement buildings. The projected locations of informal settlement buildings were validated thru aerial image validation using Remote Sensing and GIS-based techniques in ArcGIS software. Eight (8) barangays satisfy all the informal settlement building characteristics during the aerial validation process and ground-truthing, namely, Golden Ribbon, Holy Redeemer, Limaha, New Society, Ong Yiu, Port Puyohon, San Ignacio, and Tandang Sora. The eight (8) barangays were manually digitized from the given 5-years interval from 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2010. The value of the major informal settlement buildings area was computed to excel. The area growth rate was calculated using the growth rate formula. This study showed that the significant informal settlement in the study area increased. Among the eight (8) focused barangays, Tandang Sora ranked the highest informal settlements growth from 2005 to 2020. Its area increases up to 178.52%, a total of 24,608.43 square meters. Finally, the results revealed that the area of informal settlement buildings in Butuan City from 2005–2020, in 15-years, its value increases up to 9.74%, a total of 19,172.88 square meters.

Urban livability index assessment based on land-use changes in an Indian medium-sized city (Raiganj)

Improvement of a city’s liveability, especially in developing countries, is increasingly viewed as a way to enhance city dwellers’ quality of life. This study applied remote sensing and GIS-based techniques to assess urban livability conditions based on the World Health Organization guidelines. For this, 21 fine-grained spatial indicators were selected, and a geographically weighted principal component analysis was applied to evaluate the spatial pattern of urban livability in Raiganj. The results showed that the city’s central and eastern part had a livability index score over 0.75 (5.31 km2 area) appeared as the most livable. The southwestern part of the city was the least livable. Finally, the predicted Land Use Land Cover for 2025 in Raiganj based on the Multilayer Perceptron Neural Network-Markov Chain showed that the city (+19.50%) will expand mainly in the eastern direction at the expense of green and blue spaces.

GIS in Architectural Teaching and Research: Planning and Heritage

Geographical Information Systems (GISs) in architecture were initially limited to regional and urban development applications. Over recent years its potential has been recognized and its use has evolved to address urban planning and architectural heritage management subjects. Nevertheless, evidence shows that its use in architecture teaching is scarce and uneven. Directive 2007/2/EC, establishing the infrastructure for spatial information in the European Community (EU), is, in this way, an opportunity to develop a greater knowledge and application of GIS in the framework of higher education. In architecture, this can be achieved by problem solving based on real case scenarios, which can benefit from GIS-based techniques and analysis capabilities. In this paper, the authors aim to present a review of the use of GIS in teaching and research in architecture to assess its level in different European programmes. Experiences from three European universities (University of Seville, Spain, University of Beira Interior, Portugal, and Technical University of Crete, Greece), which are among the few in their respective countries that promote the inclusion of GIS in architectural education, particularly in the fields of urban and regional planning and architectural heritage, are compared and framed within the European scenario. The paper concludes with a reflection on the three universities’ practice compared to the leading European architecture programmes listed in the main international university rankings. Main trends of future evolution on the use of GIS in architecture teaching are also presented.

Influence of GIS on sustainable pavement maintenance: a comparative review

Road transportation remains dominant in passenger and freight movements across Africa. Yet, a majority of the countries in Africa do not perform proactively in ensuring the sustainability of highway infrastructure. This research reviews recent literature in recognizing the state-of-the-practice on the application of GIS-based techniques in sustainable pavement maintenance, hence promoting a systematic approach for highway maintenance management. Furthermore, it compares contemporary maintenance practices in the five major African regions to highlight the differences and similarities. Most countries have since implemented institutional reforms such as the provision of road funds and agencies, thereby making substantial improvements on road maintenance. However, several challenges, including inadequate financing, lack of technical expertise, poor administration, and lack of continuous research and development still hinder sustainable road maintenance in Africa. Hence, most African countries still depend solely on budget financing while adopting delayed and reactive approaches to highway maintenance activities. The study revealed that sustainable methods of pavement maintenance have neither been incorporated in policy nor practices involving highway pavement management in most African nations. And as such, it encourages respective road agencies to integrate GIS-based techniques into road maintenance management at all functional levels to promote sustainability.

GIS-Based Susceptibility Mapping of the Fentale–Metehara Blisters and Blister Caves in the Main Ethiopian Rift: Implications for Their Conservation

The biggest and most spectacular blister caves in the world are found in the Fentale–Metehara area, in the Main Ethiopian Rift, where we inventoried 639 blisters and blister caves in an area of 80 sq. km straddling between the southern foot of Fentale volcano and the northern shore of Lake Beseka. The blisters were formed by a unique geological process involving up-doming of fluid-rich pyroclastic flows due to pressure of gases entrapped in the progressing flow, and subsequent breaching of some of the hollow domes. These unique geological heritages have been threatened, in some cases already destroyed, by various man-made and natural factors such as the unprecedented expansion of Lake Beseka, extensive infrastructure development (roads, railways, settlements and urbanization, and large-scale irrigation schemes), and younger fissural lava flows. In order to systematically determine the degree of threat quantitatively and qualitatively and evaluate the probability of destruction of any of the blisters and blister caves, we applied GIS-based frequency ratio model and non-hierarchical cluster analysis techniques and produced a susceptibility map of the area. The susceptibility map, validated using the degree of fitness technique, indicates that most of the blister field falls within very high to high susceptibility of destruction, implying that the destruction of most of these spectacular features is imminent particularly due to expansion of Lake Beseka and the Metehara town. This calls for concerted effort by the local authorities to devise mechanisms to protect the threatened blisters and blister caves along with mitigating the impacts of the expanding Lake Beseka. The susceptibility map will be helpful to guide and prioritize conservation efforts.