Abstract

Context: Densification and outward expansion are two manifestations of urban land-change process. However, the spatiotemporal evolution of urban densification is poorly documented and necessitates in-depth understanding. Objectives: This study, using building information spanning 2000-2018 on Wuh... Show moreContext: Densification and outward expansion are two manifestations of urban land-change process. However, the spatiotemporal evolution of urban densification is poorly documented and necessitates in-depth understanding. Objectives: This study, using building information spanning 2000-2018 on Wuhan, is focused on: (1) the spatiotemporal evolution of urban densification, and (2) the relationship between human activities and urban morphology. Methods: The 3D spatial metrics were calculated to characterize urban landscape patterns, and these metrics were further integrated to recognize urban morphological zones through multivariate clustering. Urban densification forms were identified using a proximity expansion index. The correlation between human activities and urban morphology was measured by Moran's I. Results: Building height, density, and volume increased substantially over time. The urban core area had large building density and volume with medium building height. Five urban morphological zones were identified: type I (i.e., the highest density with medium height) was enlarged considerably around the city center; type III (i.e., maximum height with high density) signified the most developed built-up areas and was increasingly found across the city. Leap-frog development was the dominant urban densification form during 2000-2006, while infill and edge-expansion forms were prevalent during 2012-2018. An overall positive spatial correlation was found between human activities and building density/volume. Conclusions: We show that urban densification is an important aspect of urban land-change process, and propose a methodology framework to investigate urban densification. We also pave the way for environmental impact and sustainability assessment of urban densification. Show less