Urban Complex Research Articles

Impact of Urban Form in the Yangtze River Delta of China on the Spatiotemporal Evolution of Carbon Emissions from Transportation

The impact of urban form on carbon emissions has become a crucial issue for sustainable socioeconomic development and the advancement of low-carbon cities. Transportation is a significant source of urban carbon emissions, highlighting the need for comprehensive research to aid China in achieving its carbon peak and neutrality goals. Currently, there is a lack of quantitative studies exploring the effects of urban form on transportation-related carbon emissions. This paper seeks to quantify the effect of urban form on the spatial and temporal patterns of transportation carbon emissions, utilizing panel data from 27 cities in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region of China, covering the years 2000 to 2020. First, CO2 emissions from transportation are estimated following IPCC guidelines, with Moran’s I utilized to analyze spatial autocorrelation. Next, urban form indicators are quantified based on landscape ecology theory. Finally, econometric models are employed for regression analysis of the panel data. The findings reveal that urban complexity, compactness, and expansion influence transportation carbon emissions to varying degrees, with urban expansion and complexity associated with increased emissions, while compactness contributes to their reduction. This study offers theoretical support and a scientific basis for low-carbon urban spatial planning and development, underscoring the importance of urban form in emissions reduction strategies.

Risk Assessment of Urban Transportation Complex Hub from Resilience Perspective: An Empirical Study on Xi’an North Railway Station

Risk Assessment of Urban Transportation Complex Hub from Resilience Perspective: An Empirical Study on Xi’an North Railway Station

La Vivienda y lo urbano en Texcoco, Estado de México. El caso del fraccionamiento “Hacienda San Javier”

Housing and the urban are two dimensions of contemporary life that are linked to the type of development desired at the municipal level. The problem with settlements in the State of Mexico is that their approval is the result of local and state decisions. In this work these issues are analyzed in the context of metropolitan areas. The objective of the work is to understand in a better way the authorization of the urban complex “Hacienda San Javier”, located in Texcoco de Mora, in the State of Mexico, where the dimensions of housing and the urban impact the municipal territory and the region; Well, although they offer alternatives for the middle class in planned housing - with permits and authorizations prior to their construction; works that generate employment, greater investment locally and improve consumption, and that help the productive chains of the economy—; They also modify ecosystems, change land use and generate a new urban-environmental-territorial ordering. The methodology used expresses deductive knowledge supported by official documents and case studies that analyze a locality; and at the same time they resort to quantitative methods to generate research that relates information and facts. The study is also complemented by conducting interviews in the “Alameda Municipal”, which enriches the qualitative research. The results indicate which agencies authorize these projects; and with data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), we know the condition of housing in Texcoco and the effect of this type of development (which contrasts with unplanned or irregular housing); Furthermore, the importance of the management of public services and their social, economic and environmental relationship that high-impact subdivisions entail in the municipal order is highlighted.

THE MAIN TRENDS AND DIRECTIONS OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND REGENERATION OF THE HISTORICAL ENVIRONMENT

Objective: The purpose of this study is an attempt to reveal and analyze the modern trends and directions of the sustainable development and regeneration of the historical environment from the point of view of the harmonious combination of new and historical architecture and to define some methodological principles of its design at the different hierarchical levels. Theoretical Framework: The study is grounded in a thorough literature review that examines existing research and is based on international scientific publications, reports, scientific papers. Diverse practical materials in the area under study were used as well as own experience in designing urban complexes and buildings in the historical environment. Methods: This study is based on a set of scientific research methods, using an extensive review of literature, Internet resources, and the views of stakeholders. Preference was given to methods such as comparative analysis, synthesis, generalization, complex and systemic approaches. Results: Research identifies key areas of the development and regeneration of the complexes and buildings in the historical environment, which can be divided into several directions. The features, conditions, and directions of such implementations on various examples are examined in this study. Some methodological principles of designing in historical areas at different hierarchical levels are considered. Research Implications: Implications of the study: The results and recommendations of this study will be useful for contemporary design practice, may increase awareness of project management in the field of architecture and urban planning, and help to manage practice in this field more effectively.

Jane Jacobs's urban vitality focusing on three-facet criteria and its confluence with urban physical complexity

Urban vitality is crucial for sustainability, contributing to social cohesion, information exchange, and overall quality of life. Understanding and quantifying urban vitality is essential for effective planning and policymaking, yet it remains a complex task. Previous studies have primarily focused on single-dimensional measures of urban vitality, overlooking the multifaceted nature emphasized by Jane Jacobs, including spatiotemporal dimensions. This study revisits Jacobs's urban vitality, focusing on three key indicators of intensity, diversity, and consistency of urban vitality. Additionally, we explore the relationships between urban complexity and urban vitality. We employ variety, uniformity, and connectivity metrics to assess urban complexity, which examines the physical structures of buildings, streets, and blocks. Linear regression and Maximal Information-based Nonparametric Exploration statistics for non-linearity analysis are used to determine the associations between urban complexity and urban vitality. Our findings reveal nuanced details of the relationships. Notably, variety and connectivity variables have more significant influences on urban vitality than those related to uniformity. Furthermore, the analysis highlights the differential impacts of complexity variables on different types of vitality. These insights provide valuable guidance for planners and policymakers, facilitating the design of sustainable and vibrant cities by considering optimal complexity measures of built environment that enhance urban vitality.

Measuring global urban complexity from the perspective of living structure

As urban critic Jane Jacobs conceived, a city is essentially the problem of organized complexity. What underlies the complexity refers to a structural factor, called living structure, which is defined as a mathematical structure composed of hierarchically organized substructures. Through these substructures, the complexity of cities, or equivalent to the livingness of urban space (L), can be measured by the multiplication the number of cities or substructures (S) and their scaling hierarchy (H), indicating that complexity is about both quantity of cities and how well the city is organized hierarchically. In other words, complexity emerges from a hierarchical structure where there are far more small cities or substructures than large ones across all scales, and cities are more or less similar within each individual hierarchy. In this paper, we conduct comprehensive case studies to investigate urban complexity on a global scale using multisource geospatial data. We develop an efficient approach to recursively identifying all natural cities with their inner hotspots worldwide through connected component analysis. To characterize urban complexity, urban space is initially represented as a hierarchy of recursively defined natural cities, and all the cities are then represented as a network for measuring the degree of complexity or livingness of the urban space. The results show the Earth’s surface is growing more complex from an economic perspective, and the dynamics of urban complexity are more explicit from nighttime light imagery than from population data. We further discuss the implications in city science, aiming to help create and recreate urban environments that are more resilient and livable by fostering organized complexity from the perspective of living structure.

CULTURAL HERITAGE AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Extreme weather events have been increasing over time. In this way, climate change represents obstacles to society, imposing challenges on cities. Among them is the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage. Urban complexes with a preservation interest face greater vulnerability due to natural, cultural and social factors. In this context, the aim of this article is to present the state of the art on research into the impacts of climatic events on sites of preservation interest. The methodological procedures comprised four stages: defining the topic and research question; searching academic databases; establishing inclusion and exclusion criteria; and analyzing the materials. The research found shows a consensus on the need to pay attention to the impacts of climate change on cultural and natural heritage. As limitations, most of the research with case studies focuses on the Global North. In terms of gaps, the research highlights the need for an integrative approach to the preservation of cultural heritage in the face of the impacts of climate change.

ADDRESSING INFRASTRUCTURE GAPS IN MUMBAI’S 2-WHEELER EV CHARGING NETWORK: A FOCUS ON ACCESSIBILITY, USABILITY, AND USER FEEDBACK

Electric vehicles (EVs) are transforming transportation in Mumbai, with 2-wheeler EVs gaining significant traction among commuters. However, the insufficient availability and accessibility of charging infrastructure remain critical challenges. This study investigates the experiences of 2- wheeler EV users in Mumbai, focusing on the barriers they encounter when charging their vehicles. Given Mumbai’s dense traffic and urban complexities, limited charging points, long waiting times, and infrastructural constraints can hinder the user experience and discourage further adoption of EVs. The findings provide key insights into optimal charging station locations based on a comprehensive analysis of population density, traffic flow, and urban planning frameworks. Additionally, the study addresses the need for standardized charging protocols, advanced technologies, and user-friendly interfaces to enhance the usability of charging stations. The study emphasizes that addressing these challenges is crucial not only for the user experience but also for policymakers, urban planners, and stakeholders aiming to expand Mumbai’s EV infrastructure. Moreover, the environmental benefits of 2-wheeler EV adoption are examined, including reductions in energy consumption, carbon emissions, and overall environmental impact. By analyzing these factors, the research highlights the positive environmental outcomes of investing in robust charging infrastructure. Key challenges, such as high costs, feasibility concerns, and policy limitations, are also explored, offering a holistic understanding of the practical barriers to improving the EV charging network. The study concludes with actionable recommendations aimed at overcoming these challenges, fostering sustainable growth, and ensuring the efficient deployment of 2-wheeler EV charging infrastructure across Mumbai.

Refinement method of equivalent source power level determination for traffic noise in urban noise mapping

For traffic noise prediction, the predictive models of source power level determination commonly in use are the Technical Guidelines for Noise Impact Assessment in China or the Calculation of Road Traffic Noise model in the United Kingdom, which incorporate traffic flow and car speeds. However, the accuracy of these models is often compromised due to urban traffic's complexity, vehicle diversity, and unforeseen events. This study investigates a refinement method based on noise on-site measurement and aforementioned approaches for equivalent source power level determination for traffic noise in urban noise mapping. In the study, onsite measurements are conducted to collect noise and traffic data, and source power level calculated by refinement method is validated using measurement data. Different prediction methods are employed for measurement sites calculations. By comparisons between predictions with noise on-site measurement data, the refinement method proposed in the study demonstrates a significant accuracy enhancement in traffic noise prediction over previous models for determining equivalent source power level. This enhancement highlights the efficacy of adopting noise measurement-based methods for setting traffic noise source power levels, leading to more precise traffic noise predictions in complex urban settings, particularly in areas surrounding urban arterial roads.

The genome of the Australian water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii), an agamid model for urban adaptation.

Squamate reptiles are a highly diverse and intriguing group of tetrapods, offering valuable insights into the evolution of amniotes. The Australian water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii) is a member of the Agamidae, and sister to the core mesic Australian endemic radiation (Amphibolurinae). The species is renowned for its urban adaptability and complex social systems. We report a 1.8 Gb chromosome-length genome assembly together with the annotation of 23,675 protein-coding genes. Comparative analysis with other squamate genomes highlights gene family expansions associated with immune function, energetic homeostasis, and wound healing. This reference genome will serve as a valuable resource for studies of evolution and environmental resilience in lizards.

Mind map for cross-reading the glossary of urban morphology and soundscape research

Urban morphological research has a long-established and systematic method of analysis that provides a clear and shared research framework. Since the late 1990s, the International Seminar on Urban Form (ISUF) has compiled a glossary of urban morphology for the agenda of urban researchers. The soundscape literature emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Since then, there have been numerous studies dealing with the sonic dimension of urban complexity from different perspectives. In order to create an overarching framework, attempts have been made since the early 1970s to define the principles and processes of soundscape research. There is a comprehensive glossary created by the Wold Soundscape Project Team (WSP) in 1978 which has been of great importance for further soundscape studies. This paper argues that there is a link between urban morphology research and soundscape research. A cross-reading between the two glossaries therefore has the potential to offer an alternative reading of urban research by revealing the commonalities or differences in the sonic-morphological conceptual schemes.

Urban Digital Twins as socio-technical infrastructures for city regeneration and decarbonization

Abstract The awareness of the huge carbon footprint and the related targets aimed at reducing it, require cities to be supported in their climate neutral transition. Urban Digital Twins (UDTs) have emerged as cutting-edge technologies to address urban complexity and to exploit the massive amount of machine-readable data produced by the city physical and non-physical systems. At the centre of the recent debate and scientific research, UDTs are addressed in a rapidly growing literature, pilot projects, proof-of-concepts and applications to several contexts. Studies and prototypes are leading the maturity development of UDT to gradually improve, contributing to gaining consensus among key stakeholders and urban decision makers, but the state of the art has not proved how exactly its potential benefits will be pursued and sustained. In this evolving scenario, the paper objective is the analysis of a literature review and a case studies selection, to identify the current use of the UDT as enabling tool in the comprehensive and joint framework of urban regeneration and decarbonization, addressing, in particular, the under-researched and poorly conceptualized integration of socio-economic-cultural systems.

Correction: Advancing urban sustainability transitions: a framework for understanding urban complexity and enhancing integrative transformations

Correction: Advancing urban sustainability transitions: a framework for understanding urban complexity and enhancing integrative transformations

Main contents and revision direction of the Urban Complex Development Act

The Act on Support for Urban Complex Development was enacted and promulgated on February 6, 2024. It is scheduled to take effect on February 7, 2025. This new law encourages private project implementers to actively participate in urban complex development, unlike the urban public housing complex project (under the public housing special law) that was introduced in accordance with the government’s plan to drastically expand the supply of 3080+ publicly led metropolitan housing announced on February 4, 2021. The urban public housing complex project is a system designed to establish a new business model for station areas, semi-industrial areas, and low-rise residential areas that are underutilized and aging because of difficulties with redevelopment and reconstruction projects. Public institutions have become project implementers instead of existing cooperative-centered redevelopment and reconstruction projects. The urban public housing complex project is a development project that utilizes comprehensive acquisition (including land expropriation) to quickly promote the project and supply new buildings in the form of compensation in kind if the landowner so desires. However, the complex development project introduced in the Act on Support for Urban Complex Development differs significantly from the plan described above in that the private sector, including landowners, trustees, and real estate investment trusts (REITs), become the main project implementers, promoting the project by utilizing management, disposal plans, and sales claims. In this article, I examine the concept and characteristics of complex development projects, procedures, and special provisions for these projects and identify problems and revision directions for relevant laws. Since complex development projects utilize management, disposal plans, and sales claims as business methodsand the project target is an urban area with a high concentration of old and substandardbuildings, I describe such projects by comparing them with the provisions of the Urban and Housing Environment Improvement Act, which regulates redevelopment and reconstruction projects. Finally, I suggest that necessary actions to smoothly implement complex development projects include securing differentiation from other development projects, supplementing specific provisions on REITs as the newly introduced project implementers, and improving the sales claim system and consent rate centered on land area.

The Israel-Hamas war and the IDF strategy framework

ABSTRACT Hamas’s invasion of Israel on 7 October 2023, with the attendant massacre of some 1,200 Israelis and the occupation of population centres and military bases – something that no Arab army has done since the 1948 war – posed unprecedented challenges to Israel’s socio-political and security establishments. Based on Chief-of-Staff Eisenkot’s 2018 doctrinal manifesto ‘The IDF’s Strategy’, this article assesses Israel’s national security principles and the doctrines for the use of force in an attempt to evaluate whether its political and military actions were aligned with these doctrines during the 2023–24 war with Hamas, and to determine the strategy’s value and possible gaps. It concludes that while the political and military responses appear consistent with the outlined principles, unexpected problems like hostage dilemmas and urban warfare complexities present unforeseen challenges not directly addressed by the manifesto.

Perceptual Attributes Identification and Importance–Performance Alignment Assessment of Urban Underground Complex: A Case Study in Chengdu Tianfu Square

Background and objectives: The urban underground complex integrates comprehensive architecture and subterranean space, presenting physical and psychological complexities. To mitigate the negative experiences associated with this complexity, we need to explore, in depth, how the built environmental elements of underground complexes affect user perception to design a comfortable, healthy, and biophilic underground space. Methods: We selected Tianfu Square, a typical underground complex in Chengdu, China, as the empirical case. We identified 26 key environmental indicators affecting user perception and designed Kano and satisfaction questionnaires based on these indicators. A total of 476 questionnaires were distributed to collect data on users’ attitudes towards changes in element quality and their satisfaction levels. By integrating the Kano model and IPA method, we defined the perceptual attributes of elements based on their impact on user experiences and assessed the alignment between element attributes and satisfaction. Results: We categorized the elements into five perceptual types: attractive, one-dimensional, indifferent, must-be, and reverse attributes, and assigned corresponding importance levels. We then compared the importance and performance scores of these elements, evaluated their satisfaction alignment, identified elements needing optimization, and proposed improvement strategies. Implications: This research provides valuable guidance for designers on how various built environment elements in underground spaces influence user perceptions, with practical implications for urban underground complex planning and design.

Quantifying urban climate response to large-scale forcing modified by local boundary layer effects

Over the past two decades, the joint manifestation of global warming and rapid urbanization has significantly increased the occurrence of heatwaves and the formation of urban heat islands in temperate cities. Consequently, this synergy has amplified the frequency and duration of periods with tropical nights (TNs) in these urban areas. While the occurrences of such extreme events demonstrate irregular and nonlinear annual patterns, they consistently manifest a discernible rising decadal trend in local or regional climatic data. In urban regions situated amidst hilly or mountainous landscapes, changing wind directions—often associated with uphill or downhill thermal flows—profoundly impact the spread and dispersion of heat-related pollution, creating unique natural ventilation patterns. Using the Lausanne/Pully urban area in Switzerland as examples of hilly and lakeshore temperate cities, this study explores the influence of wind patterns and natural urban ventilation on the nonlinearity of recorded climatic data within an urban environment. This study integrates a mesoscale numerical weather prediction model (COSMO-1), a microscale Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model, field observations, variational mode decomposition technique, and statistical analysis to investigate how wind speed and direction critically influence the nonlinearity of recorded long-term trends of extreme events, specifically focusing on the frequency and duration of TNs in lakeshore and hilly cities. The results strongly indicate a direct correlation between the frequency of TNs and the occurrence of specific moderate wind patterns. These wind patterns are exclusively captured by the microscale CFD model, unlike the mesoscale model, which neglects both urban morphology and complex hilly terrains. The impact of temporal and spatial variability of the wind field on long-term observations at fixed measurement stations suggests that caution should be exercised when relying on limited spatial measurement points to monitor and quantify long-term urban climate trends, particularly in cities located in complex terrains.

Risk assessment of bridge construction investigated using random forest algorithm

Bridge construction collapse is one of the most common bridge safety accidents. At present, evaluation results are often affected by the ability and experience of the assessor. Therefore, it is difficult to quickly, accurately and effectively evaluate the risk in the process of bridge construction. Moreover, key factors that can prevent accidents can hardly find from the existing bridge construction safety management and evaluation method. This paper analyzes and classifies the artificial and environmental risk factors that affect the bridge construction stage, and establishes 26 risk factors in 5 categories according to the characteristics of bridge construction and the actual situation of the project. Random forest (RF) algorithm is a non-parametric machine learning method based on decision tree, which does not need to be scored by experts in advance and avoids the influence of subjective factors. Compared with other analysis methods, random forest algorithm has the advantages of accurate and robust risk assessment results. Based on the advantages of random forest algorithm and the characteristics of bridge construction risk, this paper uses random forest algorithm to evaluate the bridge construction risk, and ranks the importance of indicators, and identify the index that has a greater influence on the risk. In order to verify the applicability and feasibility of the proposed method, a typical urban complex pedestrian bridge was taken as an example for actual engineering evaluation and verification. The results obtained are basically consistent with the actual risk assessment results of the pedestrian bridge.

Evaluating coupling coordination between urban smart performance and low-carbon level in China’s pilot cities with mixed methods

The construction models of smart cities and low-carbon cities are crucial for advancing global urbanization, enhancing urban governance, and addressing major urban challenges. Despite significant advancements in smart and low-carbon city research, a consensus on their coupling coordination remains elusive. This study employs mixed-method research, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses, to investigate the coupling coordination between urban smart performance (SCP) and low-carbon level (LCL) across 52 typical smart and low-carbon pilot cities in China. Independent evaluation models for SCP and LCL qualitatively assess the current state of smart and low-carbon city construction. Additionally, an Entropy–TOPSIS–Pearson correlation–Coupling coordination degree (ETPC) analysis model quantitatively examines their relationship. The results reveal that smart city initiatives in China significantly outperform low-carbon city development, with notable disparities in SCP and LCL between eastern, non-resource-based, and central cities versus western, resource-dependent, and peripheral cities. A strong positive correlation exists between urban SCP and overall LCL, with significant correlations in management, society, and economy, and moderate to weak correlations in environmental quality and culture. As SCP levels improve, the coupling coordination degree between the urban SCP and LCL systems also increases, driven primarily by economic, management, and societal factors. Conversely, the subsystems of low-carbon culture and environmental quality show poorer integration. Based on these findings, this study proposes an evaluation system for smart and low-carbon coupling coordination development, outlining pathways for future development from the perspective of urban complex systems.

Time-series satellite remote sensing reveals gradually increasing war damage in the Gaza Strip.

War-related urban destruction is a significant global concern, impacting national security, social stability, people's survival and economic development. The effects of urban geomorphology and complex geological contexts during conflicts, characterized by different levels of structural damage, are not yet fully understood globally. Here we report how integrating deep learning with data from the independently developed LuoJia3-01 satellite enables near real-time detection of explosions and assessment of different building damage levels in the Israel-Palestine conflict. We found that the damage continually increased from 17 October 2023 to 2 March 2024. We found 3747 missile craters with precision positions and sizes, and timing on vital infrastructure across five governorates in the Gaza Strip on 2 March 2024, providing accurate estimates of potential unexploded ordnance locations and assisting in demining and chemical decontamination. Our findings reveal a significant increase in damage to residential and educational structures, accounting for 58.4% of the total-15.4% destroyed, 18.7% severely damaged, 11.8% moderately damaged and 12.5% slightly damaged-which exacerbates the housing crisis and potential population displacement. Additionally, there is a 34.1% decline in the cultivated area of agricultural land, posing a risk to food security. The LuoJia3-01 satellite data are crucial for impartial conflict monitoring, and our innovative methodology offers a cost-effective, scalable approach to assess future conflicts in various global contexts. These first-time findings highlight the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further damage and support the release of hostages and subsequent reconstruction efforts.