Urban Infrastructure Networks Research Articles

A method of linking functional and structural connectivity analysis in urban green infrastructure network construction

Accelerated urbanization and population growth lead to the fragmentation of urban green space and loss of biodiversity. There are few studies on the integration of structural and functional connectivity to solve this problem. Our study aims to draw up a methodology to synthesize two methods of connectivity evaluation, accordingly, to construct an urban green infrastructure (UGI) network which is of great significance to maintain the stability of the urban ecosystem. Taking Beijing as a study area, we first used Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) to identify the source patches, then combined with the graph theory-based landscape metrics to discuss the effect of different diffusion distances on the regional landscape connectivity and classify the importance level of the source patches. Finally, we used both least-cost path (LCP) and circuit theory to construct network and identify pinch areas in corridors for network optimization. The results show that (1) the landscape connectivity of the study area is obviously polarized. Source patches in mountain and hilly areas have good ecological bases and large areas, and the density of corridors is relatively high, which makes a large contribution to the overall landscape connectivity; Source patches in plain areas are severely fragmented, and there are only a small number of potential corridors connecting urban areas and suburban areas. (2) The UGI network is composed of 70 source patches and 148 potential corridors. The diffusion distance that is most beneficial to improve landscape connectivity is 20–25 km. (3) 6 pinch areas that are of great significance for improving the connectivity of the landscape present the coexistence of high migration resistance and large optimization potential, and urgently need to be restored first. This study provides a method to combine the structural and the functional analysis to construct a UGI network and formulate more scientifical protection strategies for planning departments.

Industrial Infrastructure: Translocal Planning for Global Production in Ethiopia and Argentina

Current development and re-development of industrial areas cannot be adequately understood without taking into account the organisational structures and logistics of commodity production on a planetary scale. Global production networks contribute not only to the reconfiguration of urban spatial and economic structures in many places, but they also give rise to novel transnational actor constellations, thus reconfiguring planning processes. This article explores such constellations and their urban outcomes by investigating two current cases of industrial development linked with multilateral transport-infrastructure provisioning in Ethiopia and Argentina. In both cases, international partners are involved, in particular with stakeholders based in China playing significant roles. In Mekelle, Ethiopia, we focus on the establishment of a commodity hub through the implementation of new industry parks for global garment production and road and rail connections to international seaports. In the Rosario metropolitan area in Argentina, major cargo rail and port facilities are under development to expand the country’s most important ports for soybean export. By mapping the physical architectures of the industrial and infrastructure complexes and their urban contexts and tracing the translocal actor constellations involved in infrastructure provisioning and operation, we analyse the spatial impacts of the projects as well as the related implications for planning governance. The article contributes to emergent scholarship and theorisations of urban infrastructure and global production networks, as well as policy mobility and the transnational constitution of planning knowledge and practices.

Development of an Integrated Design Strategy for Blue-Green Architecture

Blue-green architecture entails buildings that contribute to improving the urban climate through the synergetic combination of water management and vegetation. They are part of an urban blue-green infrastructure network that combines ecosystem services in a multifunctional way. Projects implemented in an interdisciplinary manner create synergies with regard to the combination of water-related and vegetation-related objectives. However, applicable design strategies for this approach are currently lacking in practice. This paper investigates the approach of a blue-green architectural project in Stuttgart (the so called “Impulse Project”) and derives insights for an integrated design strategy. The analysis and transfer of the research is carried out by using the research by design methodology. For this purpose, the interdisciplinary design process is divided into three phases (pre-design, design, post-design) and described in detail. Reflection on the documented design reveals the knowledge gained and enables the transfer of the findings to future projects by means of the integrated design strategy for blue-green architecture.

A demonstration of the use of a unified service model for urban infrastructure networks

Planning interventions on urban infrastructure networks requires the consideration of costs of interventions and interruptions to the service provided by the infrastructure. It also requires taking into consideration how these costs and interruptions change due to the proximity of close networks. For example, it is less expensive to replace a gas pipe if the road is open, and, if a pipe is being replaced, there is a probability that the adjacent water pipe will be hit, resulting in a loss of service. Determining the optimal intervention programme for a single network is challenging as one has to consider all the objects within the network. Determining the optimal intervention programmes for multiple networks is even more challenging, particularly because the number of possible intervention programmes explodes. In this paper, the application of a unified model of the service provided by urban infrastructure networks to be used in the search for optimal intervention programmes on multiple networks simultaneously is presented. By using a single equation for all networks, the model enables an increase in the speed of calculation compared to traditional models, as a single equation can be used. The reductions in accuracy from more traditional models are discussed.

Avaliação da rede de infraestrutura urbana em uma sub-bacia no Município de Itaperuna, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

O crescimento rápido das médias e grandes cidades brasileiras nas últimas décadas vem intensificando o processo de adensamento e uma das consequências é a ocupação indevida das áreas das bacias hidrográficas urbanas. Este artigo tem como objetivo o diagnóstico urbano de uma sub-bacia de contribuição em Itaperuna, um município de uma área semi-urbanizada de 1.105,341 km² no Noroeste do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. A metodologia fundamentou-se na avaliação da sub-bacia segundo os critérios de infraestrutura (pavimentação e drenagem), social (densidade populacional e habitacional) e ambiental (ocorrência de inundações) com base no levantamento cadastral de campo e análise de banco de dados da rede de infraestrutura urbana. Os resultados apontaram que a sub-bacia apresentou um sistema de infraestrutura deficiente no que se refere à pavimentação e drenagem das vias urbanas, além da conservação e preservação do curso de água existente. A partir do diagnóstico apresentado, espera-se que este estudo contribua adicionalmente como uma ferramenta para tomada de decisão do poder público pertinente, levando em consideração estudos e prerrogativas técnicas fundamentais para a implantação de um sistema de drenagem urbana eficaz, garantindo o bem-estar da população residente na região.

Socio-economic impacts of transport infrastructure investment in Uganda: Insight from frontloading expenditure on Uganda's urban roads and highways

BackgroundThe relationship between transport infrastructure and economic growth has remained one of the most striking expanses from the perspectives of economists, researchers as well as policy makers. This paper therefore has examined the impact of road transport infrastructure investment on Uganda's economic performance and also quantified the economic costs associated with inefficient urban road transport infrastructure network for the case of Uganda. The paper utilizes a rich econometric methodology involving the Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) to estimate the impact of road transport infrastructure and economic growth as well as traffic counts of travel East bound (EB) and West Bound (WB) for the major roads leading to Kampala Capital City to estimate the generalized cost of travel as the city represents more than 70% of the total national vehicle traffic/population. The quantification of gains and costs provided a benchmark to inform further policy processes, planning, and feasibility studies. ResultsThe ARDL bound test results confirmed the existence cointegration of variables although the variables were integrated of different orders. The results of empirical ARDL indicated that investment in road transport infrastructure has both short and long run significant impact on economic growth of Uganda. In the long run, the study finds that investment in road transport infrastructure has a positive and significant impact on economic growth. But in the short run, the impact is actually negative. The paper finds that, a 1 percentage point increase in investment in road transport infrastructure increases economic growth by 0.062 percentage points in the long run. On the other hand, a 1 percentage point increase in investment in road transport infrastructure reduces economic growth in the 1st year of the increase in the expenditure by 0.089 percentage points but (Gross Domestic Product) GDP increases by 7.5 percentage points in the second year. This implies that, the impact of road transport infrastructure investment on economic growth occurs with lags for the case of Uganda. Evidence also justifies presence of significant economic benefits due to massive investments in the urban transport infrastructure network through express highways and associated roads especially within the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area, municipal authorities and future transport planning for new cities. ConclusionThe main conclusion of this paper is that, with the current state of traffic flow, the country loses about 6.7% of its GDP due to traffic congestion annually. Therefore, projects such as; Kampala flyover project, Entebbe Express Highway, Southern Bypass, Northern Bypass, Kampala Bombo Express Highway, Kampala Jinja Express Highway and Kibuye Mpigi Express highway together with associated urban roads improvements that are planned for seamless flow of traffic within the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA) are highly justified. These projects should be prioritized, fast-tracked and developed in a concurrent manner to realize the intended results. Further, the negative short run impact of infrastructure spending on growth implies the need to rebalance public spending to also prioritize social sectors.

The effect of stormwater infiltration and surrounding built infrastructure on local groundwater dynamics: a case study for regenerative stormwater conveyances

ABSTRACT Infiltrated stormwater from a regenerative stormwater conveyance (RSC) investigated in Knoxville, TN, was found to substantially interact with the surrounding groundwater system. The degree of interaction resulted from seasonal fluxes in water table elevation, varying weather patterns and event sizes, and most significantly, the presence of two underground sewer lines. Mounding was observed below the RSC during small to medium storm events, which shifted to a sink for areas adjacent to the conveyance during larger events. The most prominent factor influencing trends in groundwater interactions appeared to be the presence of the sewer lines. This study shows the importance of understanding how the urban subsurface infrastructure network will influence groundwater interactions in order to avoid unintended consequences or short-circuiting of treatment mechanisms. These findings inform the scientific community of potential challenges when constructing infiltration-based stormwater controls in urban environments where a high density of buried infrastructure may be present.

Cascading Flow System for Urban Drainage Design

AbstractA stormwater drainage system is an important element in the urban infrastructure network. Under the conventional concept, an urban drainage system is designed to collect and pass the extrem...

Assessing Resilience of Urban Critical Infrastructure Networks: A Case Study of Ahvaz, Iran

Cities around the world increasingly recognize the need to build on their resilience to deal with the converging forces of urbanization and climate change. Given the significance of critical infrastructure for maintaining quality of life in cities, improving their resilience is of high importance to planners and policy makers. The main purpose of this study is to spatially analyze the resilience of water, electricity, and gas critical infrastructure networks in Ahvaz, a major Iranian city that has been hit by various disastrous events over the past few years. Towards this goal, we first conducted a two-round Delphi survey to identify criteria that can be used for determining resilience of critical infrastructure networks across different parts of the city. The selected criteria that were used for spatial analysis are related to the physical texture, the design pattern, and the scale of service provision of the critical infrastructure networks. Results showed that, overall, critical infrastructure networks in Ahvaz do not perform well against the measurement criteria. This is specially the case in Regions 1, 2, 4, and 6, which are characterized by issues such as old and centralized infrastructure networks and high levels of population density. The study highlights the need to make improvements in terms of the robustness, redundancy, and flexibility of the critical infrastructure networks in the city.

Belonging from the margin: The changing village and its others

This article discusses how belonging is negotiated in a context of newly emerging forms of poverty and social exclusion in rural areas. We contend that coping with poverty and social exclusion produces specific ways of being (in the) rural that traverse, blur and renegotiate its dominant meanings and proclaimed specificities. This argument builds on life course history of an Afghan-born refugee, and his relation to the Belgian rural place he calls home. Results show how belonging is related to shifting notions of rurality and urbanity, in which past, present and future come together. Rural place attachments are complicated by the need for urban survival infrastructure and translocal networks in coping strategies. Local social capital increases a sense of belonging, but does not counterweigh the impact of exclusions produced at other levels of society. Conclusions suggest that the negotiations to belong by today's rural Others inform their deliberations of staying or going and the development of translocal strategies and attachments in complicated ways.

Relations Between Urban Subsoil and Climate Change in Different Neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro

Abstract Most cities have grown in a disorderly manner without planning or concern for the environment while urban infrastructure networks were emerging and being implemented. Furthermore, it is known that impacts on the environment such as increasing the soil-sealing rate favor increases in temperature and the formation of heat islands leading to climate change. Therefore, the study objective was to analyze the impacts of disorderly occupation of the urban subsoil by underground infrastructure networks on permeable areas and their relationship with climate change. The methodology was based on bibliographic research and a field survey. It was found that the greater the disorderly occupation of the urban subsoil, the smaller the areas destined as green and permeable areas and the greater the vulnerability to climate change.

Management and evaluation system of sustainable development planning about green infrastructure

Green infrastructure is a network of interconnected natural areas and other open spaces. In the case of extremely limited urban space, how to effectively build an urban green infrastructure network and identify those network elements with critical landscape ecological functions is extremely important. In order to provide new modelling and analysis concepts for the construction and management of urban green infrastructure networks, taking the rapid urbanisation of Q city as an example, the MSPA method was used in conjunction with the landscape connectivity index to select the largest contribution to maintaining landscape connectivity. As the network centre of the green infrastructure network, the habitat patch of the site was used to construct the potential green infrastructure network. In the study, area using the minimum path method and the use of spatial syntax analysis to identify the priority of the green infrastructure network based on the structural optimisation perspective, to make the construction of green infrastructure networks more scientific. The research results can provide a research idea and method for the construction of green infrastructure networks in rapid urbanisation areas, and have certain reference significance for the priority evaluation of green infrastructure network elements.

Management and evaluation system of sustainable development planning about green infrastructure

Green infrastructure is a network of interconnected natural areas and other open spaces. In the case of extremely limited urban space, how to effectively build an urban green infrastructure network and identify those network elements with critical landscape ecological functions is extremely important. In order to provide new modelling and analysis concepts for the construction and management of urban green infrastructure networks, taking the rapid urbanisation of Q city as an example, the MSPA method was used in conjunction with the landscape connectivity index to select the largest contribution to maintaining landscape connectivity. As the network centre of the green infrastructure network, the habitat patch of the site was used to construct the potential green infrastructure network. In the study, area using the minimum path method and the use of spatial syntax analysis to identify the priority of the green infrastructure network based on the structural optimisation perspective, to make the construction of green infrastructure networks more scientific. The research results can provide a research idea and method for the construction of green infrastructure networks in rapid urbanisation areas, and have certain reference significance for the priority evaluation of green infrastructure network elements.

ON THE CORRELATION BETWEEN FRACTAL DIMENSION AND ROBUSTNESS OF COMPLEX NETWORKS

In recent years, because complex networks can be used to model real-world complex systems, such as the Internet, urban infrastructure networks, and gene interaction networks, such research has been widely applied in engineering, social sciences, and life sciences and has caused widespread concern. Fractal dimension, as a concept concerning the filling ability and complexity of an object space, has great significance for the study of the robustness of complex networks. This paper studies the relationship between fractal dimension and the robustness of different types of complex networks from the perspective of network structure and network scale. We find that fractal dimension is strongly correlated with robustness under certain conditions and can be used as an important index to evaluate the robustness of complex networks.

Irregular Connections: Everyday Energy Politics in Catalonia

AbstractWhile questions of energy and energy transition have become hotly contested, the abstract and fetishized conception of energy that dominates contemporary political debates occludes connections to everyday life. By tracing the activities of Catalan activist network Alianza contra la Pobreza Energética (Alliance against Energy Poverty or APE), this article seeks to excavate the political possibilities opened up by a more everyday energy politics. The article addresses the practice of illegal utilities connections among the urban poor of Catalonia, arguing that this constitutes a form of makeshift urbanism resonant of that conceptualized from within ‘Southern’ cities. These ‘irregular connections’ to urban infrastructure networks are then distinguished from the ‘irregular connections’ formed between people within the collectivized social infrastructure of APE. APE, I argue, translate ‘energy’ as social reproduction, framing their struggle for the right to energy around the right to sustain life with dignity. This, I suggest, is the starting point for a feminist praxis capable of creating new and unruly subjectivities, reconfiguring reproductive relations in more caring and collective directions, and ultimately challenging the violence of the commodity form.

A Century of Topological Coevolution of Complex Infrastructure Networks in an Alpine City

In this paper, we used complex network analysis approaches to investigate topological coevolution over a century for three different urban infrastructure networks. We applied network analyses to a unique time‐stamped network data set of an Alpine case study, representing the historical development of the town and its infrastructure over the past 108 years. The analyzed infrastructure includes the water distribution network (WDN), the urban drainage network (UDN), and the road network (RN). We use the dual representation of the network by using the Hierarchical Intersection Continuity Negotiation (HICN) approach, with pipes or roads as nodes and their intersections as edges. The functional topologies of the networks are analyzed based on the dual graphs, providing insights beyond a conventional graph (primal mapping) analysis. We observe that the RN, WDN, and UDN all exhibit heavy tailed node degree distributions [P(k)] with high dispersion around the mean. In 50 percent of the investigated networks, P(k) can be approximated with truncated [Pareto] power‐law functions, as they are known for scale‐free networks. Structural differences between the three evolving network types resulting from different functionalities and system states are reflected in the P(k) and other complex network metrics. Small‐world tendencies are identified by comparing the networks with their random and regular lattice network equivalents. Furthermore, we show the remapping of the dual network characteristics to the spatial map and the identification of criticalities among different network types through co‐location analysis and discuss possibilities for further applications.

Enhancing landscape connectivity through multifunctional green infrastructure corridor modeling and design

Landscape connectivity is critical for ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation, yet urbanization is increasing habitat fragmentation. Green corridors that connect isolated remnant habitat patches (e.g. parks) can increase connectivity and provide ecosystem services in cities. Vacant land, especially prevalent in shrinking cities, presents a unique opportunity to reconnect these landscapes. This paper provides a practical and replicable approach for assessing landscape connectivity patterns and identifying priority locations for green corridors. The methodology integrates social and ecological factors coupled with site-scale multifunctional greenway designs and is applied to the city of Detroit as a proof of concept. First, we use FRAGSTATS to evaluate structural landscape connectivity patterns at a census tract scale. A functional connectivity assessment based on graph theory and Conefor software is used to validate the results, which indicate that habitat is highly fragmented in Detroit. To identify opportunities to reduce this fragmentation, we use a least-cost path approach to map potential green corridors linking city parks through vacant parcels, alleys, and smaller green spaces, and prioritize these corridors using a gravity model and network analysis. To make the model more concrete and useful for decision-makers, we develop site-level multifunctional corridor design typologies. This study presents a novel approach to assessing urban connectivity and a multi-scalar, systematic methodology for planning urban green infrastructure networks that connects landscape ecology with practical planning and design considerations to maximize social and ecological functions.

A GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK FOR FINE SCALE URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORKS

Abstract. Understanding the spatial connectivity of urban infrastructure networks that connect assets to buildings is important for the fine-scale spatial analysis and modelling of the resource flows within cities. However, rarely are spatially explicit representations of infrastructure networks available for such analysis. Further, an appropriate database system is the core of development of an infrastructure assets information and management platform, capable of handling the wide range of data for infrastructure system modelling and analysis. In this paper, we develop a geospatial simulation and analysis framework, which is capable of generating fine-scale urban infrastructure networks and storing the network instances in a hybrid database system for further modelling and analysis needs. We demonstrate the use of this platform by simulating the entire-city electricity distribution network for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. Validation of the resulting network is performed using the network layout diagram from the local power company. The heuristically derived network was found to have a 91 % spatial accuracy.

Developing Priority Index for Managing Utility Disruptions in Urban Areas with Focus on Cascading and Interdependent Effects

Unanticipated events such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, cyber-attacks, and so forth, could cause prolonged disruptions in major utility service networks including, for example, water and electricity, in urban areas. Owing to the presence of complex interdependencies among infrastructure systems in an urban network, the disruption of one system may trigger a chain of events that degrades the proper functioning of several other dependent systems. Consequently, many parts of the city may not have access to multiple utility services and amenities. Identifying the most vulnerable communities exposed to such utility disruptions is key to performing immediate relief operations. In this paper, the concept of Priority Index, introduced as a measure of the susceptibility of communities to the event, is presented to rank urban regions based on the extent of the impact of disruptions (both cascading and interdependent impacts) caused by an event, as well as the social vulnerability of communities. Agent-based models are employed to simulate the consequences of a disruptive event on a semi-realistic urban infrastructure network. Later, the extent of impact on communities is evaluated using the simulation results and the American Community Survey data. The proposed Priority Index could help city administrations and utility service agencies identify the regions in a city that require immediate attention after a disruptive event occurs in the infrastructure network. A case study based on a semi-realistic infrastructure network in Austin, Texas is presented to demonstrate the implementation of the concept of Priority Index and the methodological framework.

Fast cutaway visualization of sub-terrain tubular networks

This paper proposes a context-preserving 3D visualization technique for interactive view- and distance-dependent cutaway visualization that reveals the subsurface urban infrastructure network. The infrastructure itself is displayed using the procedural billboarding technique, and its internals are revealed through a new cutaway algorithm that operates directly on the procedurally generated structures in the billboard proxy geometry. Both described cutaway techniques achieve interactive frame rates for the infrastructural network of a mid-sized city. Performance benchmarks and a domain expert evaluation support the potential usefulness of this technique in general and its particular utilization for the sewer network visualization.