Between 2D and 3D: Studying Structural Complexity of Urban Fabric Using Voxels and LiDAR-Derived DSMs
Cities are complex systems and their physical forms are the manifestation of cultural, social and economic processes shaped by the geometry of natural and man-made elements. Digital Surface Models (DSM) using LiDAR provide an efficient volumetric transformation of urban fabric including all built an...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Fractal and Fractional |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/5/4/227 |
| _version_ | 1797504526152892416 |
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| author | Ata Tara Agnès Patuano Gillian Lawson |
| author_facet | Ata Tara Agnès Patuano Gillian Lawson |
| author_sort | Ata Tara |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cities are complex systems and their physical forms are the manifestation of cultural, social and economic processes shaped by the geometry of natural and man-made elements. Digital Surface Models (DSM) using LiDAR provide an efficient volumetric transformation of urban fabric including all built and natural elements which allows the study of urban complexity through the lens of fractal dimension (D). Founded on the “box-counting” method, we reveal a voxelization technique developed in GIS (Geographic Information System) to estimate <i>D</i> values of ten DSM samples across central Melbourne. Estimated <i>D</i> values of surface models (between 2 and 3) provide a measure to interpret the structural complexity of different urban characters defined by the pattern of developments and densities. The correlations between <i>D</i> values with other DSM properties such as elevation, volume, solar radiation and surface roughness, showed a strong relationship between DSM volume and mean elevation. Lower strength correlations were recorded with solar radiation and surface roughness. The proposed method provides opportunities for fractal research to study pressing issues in complex urban environments such as declining physical fitness, mental health and urban biodiversity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:05:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f413c05d789f43e7886102b583fa69e7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-3110 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:05:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fractal and Fractional |
| spelling | doaj.art-f413c05d789f43e7886102b583fa69e72023-11-23T08:24:02ZengMDPI AGFractal and Fractional2504-31102021-11-015422710.3390/fractalfract5040227Between 2D and 3D: Studying Structural Complexity of Urban Fabric Using Voxels and LiDAR-Derived DSMsAta Tara0Agnès Patuano1Gillian Lawson2School of Architecture and Urban Design, RMIT University, Melbourne 3000, AustraliaLandscape Architecture and Spatial Planning Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6700 HB Wageningen, The NetherlandsSchool of Landscape Architecture, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, New ZealandCities are complex systems and their physical forms are the manifestation of cultural, social and economic processes shaped by the geometry of natural and man-made elements. Digital Surface Models (DSM) using LiDAR provide an efficient volumetric transformation of urban fabric including all built and natural elements which allows the study of urban complexity through the lens of fractal dimension (D). Founded on the “box-counting” method, we reveal a voxelization technique developed in GIS (Geographic Information System) to estimate <i>D</i> values of ten DSM samples across central Melbourne. Estimated <i>D</i> values of surface models (between 2 and 3) provide a measure to interpret the structural complexity of different urban characters defined by the pattern of developments and densities. The correlations between <i>D</i> values with other DSM properties such as elevation, volume, solar radiation and surface roughness, showed a strong relationship between DSM volume and mean elevation. Lower strength correlations were recorded with solar radiation and surface roughness. The proposed method provides opportunities for fractal research to study pressing issues in complex urban environments such as declining physical fitness, mental health and urban biodiversity.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/5/4/227fractal dimensionstructural complexityurban fabricvoxelDSMLiDAR |
| spellingShingle | Ata Tara Agnès Patuano Gillian Lawson Between 2D and 3D: Studying Structural Complexity of Urban Fabric Using Voxels and LiDAR-Derived DSMs Fractal and Fractional fractal dimension structural complexity urban fabric voxel DSM LiDAR |
| title | Between 2D and 3D: Studying Structural Complexity of Urban Fabric Using Voxels and LiDAR-Derived DSMs |
| title_full | Between 2D and 3D: Studying Structural Complexity of Urban Fabric Using Voxels and LiDAR-Derived DSMs |
| title_fullStr | Between 2D and 3D: Studying Structural Complexity of Urban Fabric Using Voxels and LiDAR-Derived DSMs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Between 2D and 3D: Studying Structural Complexity of Urban Fabric Using Voxels and LiDAR-Derived DSMs |
| title_short | Between 2D and 3D: Studying Structural Complexity of Urban Fabric Using Voxels and LiDAR-Derived DSMs |
| title_sort | between 2d and 3d studying structural complexity of urban fabric using voxels and lidar derived dsms |
| topic | fractal dimension structural complexity urban fabric voxel DSM LiDAR |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/5/4/227 |
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