Simulating urban land-use changes at a large scale by integrating dynamic land parcel subdivision and vector-based cellular automata

Cellular automata (CA) have been widely used to simulate complex urban development processes. Previous studies indicated that vector-based cellular automata (VCA) could be applied to simulate urban land-use changes at a realistic land parcel level. Because of the complexity of VCA, these studies were conducted at small scales or did not adequately consider the highly fragmented processes of urban development. This study aims to build an effective framework called dynamic land parcel subdivision (DLPS)-VCA to accurately simulate urban land-use change processes at the land parcel level. We introduce this model in urban land-use change simulations to reasonably divide land parcels and introduce a random forest algorithm (RFA) model to explore the transition rules of urban land-use changes. Finally, we simulate the land-use changes in Shenzhen between 2009 and 2014 via the proposed DLPS-VCA model. Compared to the advanced Patch-CA and RFA-VCA models, the DLPS-VCA model achieves the highest simulation accuracy (Figure-of-Merit = 0.232), which is 32.57% and 18.97% higher respectively, and is most similar to the actual land-use scenario (similarity = 94.73%) at the pattern level. These results indicate that the DLPS-VCA model can both accurately split the land during urban land-use changes and significantly simulate urban expansion and urban land-use changes at a fine scale. Furthermore, the land-use change rules that are based on DPLS-VCA mining and the simulation results of several future urban development scenarios can act as guides for future urban planning policy formulation.     

Calibrating a Land Parcel Cellular Automaton (LP-CA) for urban growth simulation based on ensemble learning

The reliability of raster cellular automaton (CA) models for fine-scale land change simulations has been increasingly questioned, because regular pixels/grids cannot precisely represent irregular geographical entities and their interactions. Vector CA models can address these deficiencies due to the ability of the vector data structure to represent realistic urban entities. This study presents a new land parcel cellular automaton (LP-CA) model for simulating urban land changes. The innovation of this model is the use of ensemble learning method for automatic calibration. The proposed model is applied in Shenzhen, China. The experimental results indicate that bagging-Naïve Bayes yields the highest calibration accuracy among a set of selected classifiers. The assessment of neighborhood sensitivity suggests that the LP-CA model achieves the highest simulation accuracy with neighbor radius r = 2. The calibrated LP-CA is used to project future urban land use changes in Shenzhen, and the results are found to be consistent with those specified in the official city plan.     

土地利用动态模拟模型的构建及其应用——以北京市海淀区为例

CLUE-S模型是一个基于经验统计原理的模拟多土地利用类型空间变化的动态模拟模型,它在世界多个国家和地区的区域尺度农业、森林为主的土地利用变化模拟中得到应用。作者对CLUE-S模型进行了改进,改进后的模型 (CLUE-SII) 引入了动态计算的邻域分析因子,可以对土地利用变化中的自发过程、自组织过程和土地利用类型间的竞争进行模拟,还可以根据研究区域特点构建不同的模拟方案,在这些模拟方案中,局地因子和邻域因子在土地利用变化中的作用方式不同。应用CLUE-SII对北京市海淀区1991~2001年土地利用变化进行了多方案模拟,结果表明邻域因子对城镇用地变化具有重要作用,其中将邻域因子看作自发过程放大因子的模拟方案获得了较好的模拟结果,整图符合比达到77%,其中城镇用地符合比达到82%,Kappa值达到0.754。CLUE-SII在北京市海淀区的应用实例表明,该模型可以对高分辨率和多土地利用类型下的城市扩展进行有效模拟,扩展了CLUE-S的应用领域;通过构建多模拟方案,不但可以探索最佳的模拟结果,还可以研究和分析不同土地利用驱动因子在土地利用变化中的作用模式。     

Classifying urban land use by integrating remote sensing and social media data

Urban land use information plays an important role in urban management, government policy-making, and population activity monitoring. However, the accurate classification of urban functional zones is challenging due to the complexity of urban systems. Many studies have focused on urban land use classification by considering features that are extracted from either high spatial resolution (HSR) remote sensing images or social media data, but few studies consider both features due to the lack of available models. In our study, we propose a novel scene classification framework to identify dominant urban land use type at the level of traffic analysis zone by integrating probabilistic topic models and support vector machine. A land use word dictionary inside the framework was built by fusing natural–physical features from HSR images and socioeconomic semantic features from multisource social media data. In addition to comparing with manual interpretation data, we designed several experiments to test the land use classification accuracy of our proposed model with different combinations of previously acquired semantic features. The classification results (overall accuracy = 0.865, Kappa = 0.828) demonstrate the effectiveness of our strategy that blends features extracted from multisource geospatial data as semantic features to train the classification model. This method can be applied to help urban planners analyze fine urban structures and monitor urban land use changes, and additional data from multiple sources will be blended into this proposed framework in the future.     

Simulating urban growth under planning policies through parcel-based cellular automata (ParCA) model

In recent decades, the cellular automata model, among the urban development prediction models, has been applied considerably. Studies show that the output of conventional cellular automata models is sensitive to cell size and neighborhood structure, and varies with changes in the size of these parameters. To solve this problem, vector-based cellular automata models have been introduced which have overcome the mentioned limitations and presented better results. The aim of this study was to present a parcel-based cellular automata (ParCA) model for simulating urban growth under planning policies. In this model, undeveloped areas are first subdivided into smaller parcels, based on some geometric parameters; then, neighborhood effect of parcels is defined in a radial structure, based on a weighted function of distance, area, land-use, and service level of irregular cadastral parcels. After that, neighborhood effect is evaluated using three components, including compactness, dependency and compatibility. The presented model was implemented and analyzed using data from municipal region 22 of Tehran. The obtained results indicated the high ability of ParCA model in allocating various land-uses to parcels in the appropriateness of the layout of different land-uses. This model can be used in decision-making and urban land-use planning activities, since it provides the possibility of allocating different urban land-use types and assessing different urban-growth scenarios.     

分析学习智能元胞自动机及优化的城市模拟

元胞自动机被广泛应用于城市及其他地理现象的模拟,模拟过程中的最大问题是如何确定模型的结构和参数。该文提出一种基于分析学习的智能优化元胞自动机,该模型在逻辑回归模型的基础上,基于分析学习的智能方法,寻找元胞自动机模型的最佳参数。该方法允许用户控制空间变量影响权重,进而模拟出不同的城市发展模式,可为城市规划提供重要参考。     

Characterization of neighborhood sensitivity of an irregular cellular automata model of urban growth

The neighborhood definition, which determines the influence on a cell from its nearby cells within a localized region, plays a critical role in the performance of a cellular automaton (CA) model. Raster CA models use a cellular grid to represent geographic space, and are sensitive to the cell size and neighborhood configuration. However, the sensitivity of vector-based CAs, an alternative to the raster-based counterpart, to neighborhood type and size remains uninvestigated. The present article reports the results of a detailed sensitivity analysis of an irregular CA model of urban land use dynamics. The model uses parcel data at the cadastral scale to represent geographic space, and was implemented to simulate urban growth in Central Texas, USA. Thirty neighborhood configurations defined by types and sizes were considered in order to examine the variability in the model outcome. Results from accuracy assessments and landscape metrics confirmed the model’s sensitivity to neighborhood configurations. Furthermore, the centroid intercepted neighborhood with a buffer of 120 m produced the most accurate simulation result. This neighborhood produced scattered development while the centroid extent-wide neighborhood resulted in a clustered development predominantly near the city center.     

一种顾及驱动因子重要性的双约束RF-Patch-CA城市扩张模拟方法

城市扩张模拟为实现土地资源合理分配与制定城市发展规划政策提供依据。该文针对传统元胞自动机(CA)在城市扩张模拟中存在城市元胞密集区域团簇现象,耦合随机森林(RF)与基于斑块(Patch)扩张的CA模型,在顾及驱动因子重要性基础上构建基于斑块最大面积和城市扩张总量的双约束RF-Patch-CA模型,并利用该模型模拟重庆主城都市区2010-2017年城市扩张。结果显示:该模型总体精度达97.62%,相比传统的RF-CA、ANN-CA和Logistic-CA模型,Kappa系数分别提高了0.0222、0.0231和0.0245,FoM分别提高了0.0376、0.0391和0.0414;在景观相似度上,该模型相比以上3种模型分别提高了40.92%、41.16%和32.33%,最接近真实情况,而且避免了模拟结果产生城市元胞团簇现象,有效提高了城市扩张模拟精度。     

基于神经网络的元胞自动机及模拟复杂土地利用系统

本文提出了基于神经网络的元胞自动机(CellularAutomata),并将其用来模拟复杂的土地利用系统及其演变。国际上已经有许多利用元胞自动机进行城市模拟的研究,但这些模型往往局限于模拟从非城市用地到城市用地的转变。模拟多种土地利用的动态系统比一般模拟城市演化要复杂得多,需要使用许多空间变量和参数,而确定模型的参数值和模型结构有很大困难。本文通过神经网络、元胞自动机和GIS相结合来进行土地利用的动态模拟,并利用多时相的遥感分类图像来训练神经网络,能十分方便地确定模型参数和模型结构,消除常规模拟方法所带来的弊端。     

A neighbor decay cellular automata approach for simulating urban expansion based on particle swarm intelligence

Simulation and quantitative analysis of urban land use change are effective ways to investigate urban form evolution. Cellular Automata (CA) has been used as a convenient and useful tool for simulating urban land use change. However, the key issue for CA models is the definition of the transition rules, and a number of statistical or artificial intelligence methods may be used to obtain the optimal rules. Neighborhood configuration is a basic component of transition rules, and is characterized by a distance decay effect. However, many CA models do not consider the neighbor decay effect in cellular space. This paper presents a neighbor decay cellular automata model based on particle swarm optimization (PSO-NDCA). We used particle swarm optimization (PSO) to find transition rules and considered the decay effect of the cellular neighborhood. A negative power exponential function was used to compute the decay coefficient of the cellular neighborhood in the model. By calculating the cumulative differences between simulation results and the sample data, the PSO automatically searched for the optimal combination of parameters of the transition rules. Using Xiamen City as a case study, we simulated urban land use changes for the periods 1992–1997 and 2002–2007. Results showed that the PSO-NDCA model had a higher prediction accuracy for built-up land, and a higher overall accuracy and Kappa coefficient than the urban CA model based on particle swarm optimization. The study demonstrates that there exist optimal neighborhood decay coefficients in accordance with the regional characteristics of an area. Urban CA modelling should take into account the role of neighborhood decay.     

A high-performance cellular automata model for urban simulation based on vectorization and parallel computing technology

Cellular automata (CA) models can simulate complex urban systems through simple rules and have become important tools for studying the spatio-temporal evolution of urban land use. However, the multiple and large-volume data layers, massive geospatial processing and complicated algorithms for automatic calibration in the urban CA models require a high level of computational capability. Unfortunately, the limited performance of sequential computation on a single computing unit (i.e. a central processing unit (CPU) or a graphics processing unit (GPU)) and the high cost of parallel design and programming make it difficult to establish a high-performance urban CA model. As a result of its powerful computational ability and scalability, the vectorization paradigm is becoming increasingly important and has received wide attention with regard to this kind of computational problem. This paper presents a high-performance CA model using vectorization and parallel computing technology for the computation-intensive and data-intensive geospatial processing in urban simulation. To transfer the original algorithm to a vectorized algorithm, we define the neighborhood set of the cell space and improve the operation paradigm of neighborhood computation, transition probability calculation, and cell state transition. The experiments undertaken in this study demonstrate that the vectorized algorithm can greatly reduce the computation time, especially in the environment of a vector programming language, and it is possible to parallelize the algorithm as the data volume increases. The execution time for the simulation of 5-m resolution and 3 × 3 neighborhood decreased from 38,220.43 s to 803.36 s with the vectorized algorithm and was further shortened to 476.54 s by dividing the domain into four computing units. The experiments also indicated that the computational efficiency of the vectorized algorithm is closely related to the neighborhood size and configuration, as well as the shape of the research domain. We can conclude that the combination of vectorization and parallel computing technology can provide scalable solutions to significantly improve the applicability of urban CA.     

A spatial dynamic model of population changes in a vulnerable coastal environment

This study developed a spatial dynamic model to examine the coupled natural–human responses in the form of changes in population and associated developed land area in the Lower Mississippi River Basin region. The goal was to identify key socioeconomic factors (utility) and environmental factors (hazard damages, elevation, and subsidence rate) that affected population changes, as well as to examine how population changes affected the local utility and the local environment reciprocally. We first applied areal interpolation techniques with the volume-preserving property to transform all the data at Year 2000 into a unified 3 km by 3 km cellular space. We then built an Elastic Net model to extract 12 variables from a set of 33 for the spatial dynamic model. Afterward, we calibrated the neighborhood effects with a genetic algorithm and use the spatial dynamic model to simulate population and developed land area in 2010. Furthermore, we took a Monte Carlo approach for analyzing the uncertainty of the model outcome. Our accuracy assessment shows that the model on average slightly overpredicts the number of population and the developed land percentage at 2010, as indicated by the low values of mean absolute deviation (MAD) due to quantity. On the other hand, the MADs due to allocation are larger than the MADs due to quantity, with most outliers found in the New Orleans region where population and urban development declined significantly during 2000–2010 after Hurricane Katrina. The proposed model sheds light on the complex relationships between coastal hazards and human responses and provides useful insights to strategic development for coastal sustainability.     

基于矢量的城市扩张多智能体模拟——以广州市番禺区为例

运用自下而上的多智能体建模方法构建城市扩张模型,研究城市扩张的基本特征和规律,对新型城镇化建设具有重要的理论和现实意义。但传统的多智能体模拟大多是基于栅格数据构建,不同的格网大小、邻域形状及邻域大小将产生不同的模拟结果。为克服传统栅格数据受模拟尺度的影响,采用城市土地利用现状图,构建矢量多智能体城市扩张动态模型。智能体依据“宜居性”评价指标,并遵从个人偏好,选择合适区位,模拟城市扩张的时空动态过程。将模型应用于广州市番禺区,模拟了其2003-2008年城市扩张情况。最后将模拟结果与实际土地利用现状图进行对比,结果表明,地块的转化精度为63.09%,非转化精度为90.74%,总精度为85.83%,具有较好的模拟精度,可以为新型城镇化建设提供有效的决策支持。     

The impact of Hurricane Katrina on urban growth in Louisiana: an analysis using data mining and simulation approaches

ABSTRACT

Understanding human dynamics after a major disaster is important to the region’s sustainable development. This study utilized land cover data to examine how Hurricane Katrina has affected the urban growth pattern in the Mississippi Delta in Louisiana. The study analyzed land cover changes from non-urban to urban in three metropolitan areas, Baton Rouge, New Orleans-Metairie, and Hammond, for two time periods, pre-Katrina (2001–2006) and post-Katrina (2006–2010). The study first applied a focal filter to extract continuous urban areas from the scattered urban pixels in the original remote sensing images. Statistical analyses were applied to develop initial functions between urban growth probability and several driving factors. A genetic algorithm was then used to calibrate the transition function, and cellular automata simulation based on the transition function was conducted to evaluate future urban growth patterns with and without the impact of Hurricane Katrina. The results show that elevation has become a much more important factor after Hurricane Katrina, and urban growth has shifted to higher elevation regions. The elevation most probable for new urban growth increased from 10.84 to 11.90 meters. Moreover, simulated future urban growth in this region indicates a decentralized trend, with more growth occurring in more distant regions with higher elevation. In the New Orleans metropolitan area, urban growth will continue to spill across Lake Pontchartrain to the satellite towns that are more than 50 minutes away by driving from the city center.     

Coupling fuzzy clustering and cellular automata based on local maxima of development potential to model urban emergence and expansion in economic development zones

ABSTRACT

Modeling urban growth in Economic development zones (EDZs) can help planners determine appropriate land policies for these regions. However, sometimes EDZs are established in remote areas outside of central cities that have no historical urban areas. Existing models are unable to simulate the emergence of urban areas without historical urban land in EDZs. In this study, a cellular automaton (CA) model based on fuzzy clustering is developed to address this issue. This model is implemented by coupling an unsupervised classification method and a modified CA model with an urban emergence mechanism based on local maxima. Through an analysis of the planning policies and existing infrastructure, the proposed model can detect the potential start zones and simulate the trajectory of urban growth independent of the historical urban land use. The method is validated in the urban emergence simulation of the Taiping Bay development zone in Dalian, China from 2013 to 2019. The proposed model is applied to future simulation in 2019–2030. The results demonstrate that the proposed model can be used to predict urban emergence and generate the possible future urban form, which will assist planners in determining the urban layout and controlling urban growth in EDZs.     

长沙城市土地扩张模型及其应用

Although traditional urban expansion simulation models can simulate dynamic features, these models fail to address complex changes produced by different agents’ behaviors. The paper has built up a set of spatial-temporal land resource allocation rules and developed a dynamic urban expansion model based on a multi-agent system, which can simulate the interaction among different agents, such as residents, peasants, and governments. This model is applied to simulate urban expansion process taking Changsha City, in China as a study area. The results show that this model can not only reflect basic characteristics of urban expansion, but also help explain the reasons for urban expansion process and understand the effect of agents’ behavior on the expansion process, and provide insights into the causing factors behind the expansion. In addition, in contrast to simulation results with land use classification map from remote sensing images, the precision of the simulation reached over 68% with higher precision than cellular automata model according to the cell-by-cell comparison. The results suggest that the model can help to provide land use decision making support to government and urban planners.     

多智能体与元胞自动机结合及城市用地扩张模拟

运用多智能体(Agent)和元胞自动机(CA)结合来模拟城市用地扩张的方法,将影响和决定用地类型转变的主体作为Agent引进元胞自动机模型中,Agent在CA确定的城市发展概率的基础上,通过自身及其周围环境的状况,综合各种因素的影响做出决策,决定元胞下一时刻的城市发展概率。运用Agent的决策结果,对CA模型中以随机变量体现的不确定性通过Agent决策行为给予地理意义的新解释。以城市郊区—樟木头镇为例,对1988～1993年城市用地扩张进行了模拟研究,取得了良好的模拟效果。     

基于CA-ABM模型的福州城市用地扩张研究

以中国海西地区重要门户福州市为研究区,结合其地理位置多层次约束性条件,以地理加权回归模型作为元胞自动机(CA)层的转换规则,同时以2000-2015年多期LandsatTM/ETM+影像的城市用地情况为参照,借助GIS空间分析技术,对CA和多智能体(ABM)相耦合的城市用地扩张模型进行改进。然后利用传统的和改进后的CA-ABM模型,多角度、多层次地模拟福州市2000年、2005年、2010年、2015年城市用地扩张在微观格局上的变化。结果表明,传统的和改进后的CA-ABM模型的整体精度均在80%以上,模拟结果具有较强的可信度;改进的 CA-ABM模型模拟的点对点总体精度和Kappa系数均高于传统的CA-ABM模型,而且模拟结果更加接近实际的城市用地扩张分布情况。结论可为平衡城市化进程和合理规划城市用地提供重要的理论技术支撑。     

Modelling urban expansion using a multi agentbased model in the city of Changsha

Although traditional urban expansion simulation models can simulate dynamic features, these models fail to address complex changes produced by different agents' behaviors. The paper has built up a set of spatial-temporal land resource allocation rules and developed a dynamic urban expansion model based on a multi-agent system, which can simulate the interaction among different agents, such as residents, peasants, and governments. This model is applied to simulate urban expansion process taking Changsha City, in China as a study area. The results show that this model can not only reflect basic characteristics of urban expansion, but also help explain the reasons for urban expansion process and understand the effect of agents' behavior on the expansion process, and provide insights into the causing factors behind the expansion. In addition, in contrast to simulation results with land use classification map from remote sensing images, the precision of the simulation reached over 68% with higher precision than cellular automata model according to the cell-by-cell comparison. The results suggest that the model can help to provide land use decision making support to government and urban planners.