Fractal analysis of urban form as a tool for improving environmental quality

A study on the Old Town of Lijiang found that the fractal dimension of built-up land increased from 1.73 in 2000 to 1.84 in 2006, indicating a growing imbalance between urban development and green spaces. This imbalance threatens environmental quality. Researchers used TM image data analyzed via a back-propagation neural network and the box-counting method to quantify urban form. They identified an optimal range within a 2000-meter radius of the Old Town's entrance where increasing green areas could maximize ecological benefits, suggesting that future planning should prioritize balanced land use in this zone.

Wang, H., Su, X., Wang, C., & Dong, R. (2011). Fractal analysis of urban form as a tool for improving environmental quality. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 18(6), 548–552. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2011.603760