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Stefan Fina Patterns of Urban Sprawl Geographical Analysis
Geographical Analysis XX (20YY) pp-pp © The Ohio State University
PATTERNS OF URBAN SPRAWL: MEASURING DISPERSION
Stefan Fina 1
Correspondence: Stefan Fina, Institute of Regional Development Planning, University of Stuttgart,
Pfaffenwaldring 7, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Email: stefan.fina@ireus.uni-stuttgart.de
This research note investigates the way urban land use patterns and development trends of urban
growth can be analysed. The focus is on the quantification of land use patterns that are typical for
urban sprawl, and which are said to impact negatively on the resource efficiency of urban systems.
Existing measurement concepts are found to be unsuitable to capture the possible variations of urban
sprawl and their physical manifestation in terms of land use patterns. The paper introduces concepts
for two new indicators that aim to overcome this limitation. The first indicator (Dispersion Index)
compares the actual configuration of urban entities with a hypothetical maximum of urban sprawl in
the developable part of an area. The second indicator (Functional Triangle) looks at the average
nearest combinations of interacting land use functions (residential, business, public services) based on
network distance. It serves as a quantification method for the neighbourhood mix of land use functions
which is believed to prevent city environments from the worst impacts of urban sprawl. Both measures
are described for simulated cases and initial tests for an area in Germany. The final sections discuss
the results and conclude with an assessment of indicator performance.
Initial submission: June 1, 2012.
Revision: December 27, 2012
1 Institute of Regional Development Planning, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 7, 70569
Stuttgart, Germany