Search Results (1,080)

Community public sport facilities are core carriers of the national fitness public service system, with their supply–demand alignment directly linked to megacity governance efficiency and residents’ well-being. To address structural issues, such as “human–land imbalance” in facility layout, this study uses the 2010–2024 panel data from Shanghai’s 16 districts, applies supply–demand equilibrium theory, and integrates quantitative methods to analyze spatio-temporal supply–demand coupling and identify key influencing factors. The study yields four key findings: (1) The spatial distribution of facilities and population demonstrates a differentiated evolutionary trajectory marked by “central dispersion and suburban stability”. (2) Supply–demand alignment has continuously improved, as evidenced by the increase in coordinated administrative districts from six to thirteen. Nonetheless, the distance between sports facilities and population centers widened, suggesting that spatial adaptation remains incomplete. (3) Urban population growth exerts a significant positive impact on facility supply. Elasticity coefficients are generally high in suburban areas, while negative elasticity is detected in some central urban areas due to population outflow. (4) Facility construction intensity and residential activity intensity are core driving factors, with economic conditions, transportation infrastructure, and housing prices acting as key supporting factors. This study overcomes traditional aggregate-quantity research limitations, reveals megacity facility supply–demand “spatial mismatch” dynamics, and provides a scientific basis for targeted public sports facility layout and refined governance. Full article

Understanding the economic performance of heritage-rich towns requires a systematic evaluation of how heritage-related components collectively contribute to revenue generation. Existing studies often examine heritage assets, socio-cultural factors, physical infrastructure, and local economic conditions independently, resulting in fragmented insights that limit comprehensive planning for local economic development. This study develops and validates an integrated Cultural Heritage Economy Model that quantifies the influence of heritage resources, social, physical, and economic aspects on revenue generation in heritage contexts. The model is conceptualized through a structured synthesis of theoretical literature and domain-specific indicators, followed by construct operationalization, expert validation, and pilot-level assessment. Using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM-PLS), the study demonstrates strong reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and significant structural relationships. The predictive relevance of the final model is further evaluated through PLSpredict, confirming its suitability for future estimation. The findings confirm that revenue generation is a product of the combined and mutually reinforcing effects of heritage, socio-cultural, physical, and economic dimensions, rather than just by the influence of heritage resources. By offering this novel, empirically grounded, multidimensional framework to estimate heritage-driven economic outcomes, this research establishes a foundational model that can guide evidence-based resource allocation, policy formulation, and long-term sustainable urban development planning. Full article

As one of the fastest growing economies in the world, it is critical for India to build climate-resilient infrastructure. Its rapidly increasing population growth and the consequent migration to urban areas, coupled with climate risks, have made infrastructure development a key priority area in India. Thus, ensuring that existing infrastructure and future constructions integrate strategies to address climate-related risks is vital. Despite the growing recognition of the importance of legal and policy landscapes on climate-resilient infrastructure, there is a very limited number of studies on this topic, especially in India. Thus, this study sought to bridge this gap by evaluating the influence of the Indian legal and policy framework on climate-resilient infrastructure. To this end, an analytical, comparative, and evaluative approach was adopted, employing benchmarks from international legal provisions and best practices from Japan’s legal and policy systems. In addition to doctrinal legal analysis using primary and secondary sources, case studies on the Mumbai Coastal Road Project and the Chandigarh–Manali Highway were performed to assess how the extant laws operate in the field. The findings indicate that while India’s legal system is gradually incorporating climate-risk considerations into its infrastructure sector, the effects of these considerations remain constrained due to institutional co-ordination challenges and limited enforceable obligations. Therefore, streamlining climate-resilient infrastructure governance requires more robust climate change legislation and improved implementation mechanisms. The findings of this study provide useful insights for legislators and policymakers in strengthening climate resilience integration within India’s infrastructure governance framework. Full article

Pedestrian safety in developing countries faces critical challenges from rapid urbanization and infrastructure deficiencies. This study investigates how visual context influences pedestrian crossing preferences through a controlled stated preference experiment in multiple Ecuadorian cities. A sample of 875 participants was randomly assigned to view either non-compliant (mid-block crossing) or compliant (signalized crosswalk) imagery before evaluating six hypothetical scenarios involving three crossing alternatives. Multinomial logit models reveal that waiting time, traveling with a minor, and walking distance are primary determinants of choice. Visual context showed systematic associations with choice patterns: compliant imagery was associated with increased preference for safer alternatives (50.5% versus 43.8% prediction accuracy) and larger safety-related parameter magnitudes. Principal Component Analysis identified two latent perception constructs, safety/security and bridge-specific convenience, providing behavioral interpretation of choice patterns. Substantial spatial heterogeneity emerged across cities (χ² = 124.10 and 84.74, p < 0.001), with larger urban centers showing stronger responsiveness to formal infrastructure cues. The findings demonstrate that visual stimuli systematically alter choice distributions and attribute sensitivities through normative activation and perceptual recalibration. This research contributes methodologically by establishing visual framing effects in stated preference frameworks and provides actionable insights for pedestrian infrastructure design, emphasizing alignment of objective safety improvements with perceived risk and contextual behavioral cues. Full article

The rapid urbanization of Pleiku City, Vietnam, has led to a sharp increase in the demand for and prices of residential land, creating challenges for urban management and land valuation. This study aims to identify and quantify the key factors influencing residential land prices in Pleiku to provide a scientific basis for land use planning and smart urban development. Data were collected through surveys of 30 state officials involved in land valuation and 250 households living along major streets in Pleiku. Cronbach’s alpha was used to test the reliability of the collected data, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to identify influencing factor groups. The results show that residential land prices are strongly influenced by multiple factors, with location and infrastructure playing the most decisive roles. Market land prices were found to be approximately 1.5–2 times higher than state-regulated prices. Among the identified factor groups, location and infrastructure had the strongest influence, followed by economic, social, legal, and specific land use factors. Price differences between land plots mainly reflect variations in location, street characteristics, accessibility, and commercial potential. The study concludes that location and infrastructure development are the dominant drivers of residential land prices in Pleiku. These findings have important implications for land valuation, urban planning, and the implementation of smart urban construction policies in rapidly developing cities in Vietnam. Full article

As vital components of urban rail transit networks, subway stations are widely scattered across diverse urban districts, whose sustainability performance exerts a notable impact on the overall urban ecological and environmental quality. This study constructs a three-dimensional numerical model to conduct a comparative assessment of the seismic behavior of subway stations adopting different bearing systems at beam-column joints. The seismic responses of two typical structural configurations, a traditional rigid-jointed subway station and another equipped with rubber isolation bearings, are examined under a series of ground motions, with due consideration of amplitude scaling effects and material nonlinearity. A comprehensive evaluation is carried out on key performance parameters, including structural acceleration responses, column rotation angles, damage evolution processes, and internal force distributions. Based on this analysis, the research clarifies the sustainability implications by establishing quantitative correlations between seismic response indices (i.e., deformation extent, damage degree, and internal force magnitudes) and post-earthquake outcomes, such as repair complexity, material requirements, carbon emissions, and socioeconomic effects. The results can advance the integrated theory of seismic-resilient and sustainable design for underground infrastructure, providing evidence-based guidance for the optimization of future subway station construction projects. Full article

With socioeconomic development, cities face increasingly complex and diverse disaster risks, making the construction of resilient cities an inevitable choice. However, the driving forces and tactical approaches behind urban resilience development remain unclear for urban safety development, thus posing challenges to cities urgently needing to enhance their resilience. Therefore, this paper investigates this issue, covering the following aspects: (1) Eighteen influencing factors within the complex system of urban resilience were identified and summarized from five perspectives: Economic, Social, Environmental, Infrastructure, and Organizational & Institutional. The attributes of the influencing factors were analyzed using the Decision-Making Experimentation and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method, and key factors were identified accordingly. (2) The Total Adversarial Interpretive Structure Model (TAISM) method was applied to construct a multi-perspective adversarial recursive structural model with integrated impact values. This model illustrates the interrelationships among the influencing factors and clarifies their hierarchical structure. (3) A Fuzzy Reachability Matrix (FR) was introduced to handle uncertain relationships between factors in the comprehensive influence matrix, enabling an explicit analysis of the hierarchical structure of the urban resilience complex coupling giant system, clearly showing the impact of factor hierarchical changes on the system structure. (4) Building upon the analysis of factors affecting urban resilience, the specific pathways and mechanisms were articulated, followed by recommended measures formulated from both internal (governmental) and external (community) perspectives. The results can provide theoretical support for resilient city construction and serve as a practical cornerstone. Full article

Urban Water Systems (UWS) are complex infrastructures that interact with energy, food, ecosystems and socio-political systems, and are under growing pressure from climate change and resource depletion. Planning circular interventions in this context requires system-level analysis to avoid fragmented, siloed decisions. This paper develops the Hydrosocial Resource Urban Nexus (HRUN) framework that integrates hydrosocial thinking with the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus to guide UWS design. We conduct a structured literature review and analyse different configurations of circular interventions, mapping their synergies and trade-offs across socioeconomic and environmental functions of hydrosocial systems. The framework is operationalised through a typology of circular interventions based on their circularity purpose (water reuse, resource recovery and reuse, or water-cycle restoration) and management scale (from on-site to centralised), while greening degree (from grey to green infrastructure) and digitalisation (integration of sensors and control systems) are treated as transversal strategies that shape their operational profile. Building on this typology, we construct cause–effect matrices for each intervention type, linking recurring operational patterns to hydrosocial functionalities and revealing associated synergies and trade-offs. Overall, the study advances understanding of how circular interventions with different configurations can strengthen or weaken system resilience and sustainability outcomes. The framework provides a basis for integrated planning and for quantitative and participatory tools that can assess trade-offs and governance effects of different circular design choices, thereby supporting the transition to more resilient and just water systems. Full article

The accelerating global transition to electric mobility demands data-driven infrastructure planning that balances technical, economic, and spatial considerations. This study develops a scenario-based demand and economic modeling framework to estimate electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure needs across Abu Dhabi’s urban and rural regions through 2050. Two adoption pathways, Progressive and Thriving, were constructed to capture contrasting policy and technological trajectories consistent with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 targets. The model integrates regional travel behavior, energy consumption (0.23–0.26 kWh/km), and differentiated charging patterns to project EV penetration, charging demand, and economic feasibility. Results indicate that EV stocks may reach 750,000 (Progressive) and 1.1 million (Thriving) by 2050. The Thriving scenario, while demanding greater capital investment (≈108 million AED), yields higher utilization, improved spatial equity (Gini = 0.27), and stronger long-term returns compared to the Progressive case. Only 17.6% of communities currently meet infrastructure readiness thresholds, emphasizing the need for coordinated grid expansion and equitable deployment strategies. Findings provide a quantitative basis for balancing economic efficiency, spatial equity, and policy ambition in the design of sustainable EV charging networks for emerging low-carbon cities. Full article

The goal of this scientific study is to clarify whether and how digital–intelligent integration contributes to urban carbon efficiency and to identify the conditions under which this contribution becomes nonlinear and policy-relevant. Focusing on 39 prefecture-level cities in the middle reaches of the Yellow River Basin during 2011–2022, we adopt an integrated measurement–modelling approach that combines efficiency evaluation, machine-learning interpretation, and dynamic–spatial validation. Specifically, we construct two super-efficiency DEA indicators: an undesirable-output SBM incorporating CO₂ emissions and a conventional super-efficiency CCR index. We then estimate nonlinear city-level relationships using XGBoost and interpret the marginal effects with SHAP, while panel vector autoregression (PVAR) and spatial diagnostics are employed to validate the dynamic responses and spatial dependence. The results show that digital–intelligent integration is positively associated with both carbon-related and conventional efficiency, but its marginal contribution is strongly conditioned by human capital, urbanisation, and environmental regulation, exhibiting threshold-type behaviour and diminishing returns at higher digitalisation levels. Green efficiency reacts more strongly to short-run shocks, whereas conventional efficiency follows a steadier improvement trajectory. Heterogeneity across urban agglomerations and evidence of spatial clustering further suggest that uniform policy packages are unlikely to perform well. These findings highlight the importance of sequencing and policy complementarity: investments in digital infrastructure should be coordinated with institutional and structural measures such as green finance, environmental standards, and industrial upgrading and place-based pilots can help scale effective digital applications toward China’s dual-carbon objectives. The proposed framework is transferable to other regions where the digital–climate nexus is central to smart and sustainable urban development. Full article

Urban forests and green spaces are increasingly promoted as Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) to mitigate climate risks, enhance human well-being, and support resilient and sustainable cities. Focusing on the theme of optimizing urban green space ecosystem services to foster resilient and sustainable cities, this study systematically analyzes 861 relevant publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection from 2005 to 2025. Using bibliometric analysis and scientific knowledge mapping methods, the research examines publication characteristics, spatial distribution patterns, collaboration networks, knowledge bases, research hotspots, and thematic evolution trajectories. The results reveal a rapid upward trend in this field over the past two decades, with the gradual formation of a multidisciplinary knowledge system centered on environmental science and urban research. China, the United States, and several European countries have emerged as key nodes in global knowledge production and collaboration networks. Keyword co-occurrence and cluster analyses indicate that research themes are mainly concentrated in four clusters: (1) ecological foundations and green process orientation, (2) nature-based solutions and blue–green infrastructure configuration, (3) social needs and environmental justice, and (4) macro-level policies and the sustainable development agenda. Overall, the field has evolved from a focus on ecological processes and individual service functions toward a comprehensive transition emphasizing climate resilience, human well-being, and multi-actor governance. Based on these findings, this study constructs a knowledge ecosystem framework encompassing knowledge base, knowledge structure, research hotspots, frontier trends, and future pathways. It further identifies prospective research directions, including climate change adaptation, integrated planning of blue–green infrastructure, refined monitoring driven by remote sensing and spatial big data, and the embedding of urban green space ecosystem services into the Sustainable Development Goals and multi-level governance systems. These insights provide data support and decision-making references for deepening theoretical understanding of Urban Green Space Ecosystem Services (UGSES), improving urban green infrastructure planning, and enhancing urban resilience governance capacity. Full article

Urban surface subsidence is primarily induced by intensive above-ground and underground construction activities and excessive groundwater extraction. Integrating InSAR techniques for safety monitoring of urban subway infrastructure is therefore of great significance for urban safety and sustainable development. However, single-track high-spatial-resolution SAR imagery is insufficient to achieve full coverage over large urban areas, and direct mosaicking of inter-track InSAR results may introduce systematic biases, thereby compromising the continuity and consistency of deformation fields at the regional scale. To address this issue, this study proposes an inter-track InSAR correction and mosaicking approach based on the mean vertical deformation difference within overlapping areas, aiming to mitigate the overall offset between deformation results derived from different tracks and to construct a spatially continuous urban surface deformation field. Based on the fused deformation results, subsidence characteristics along subway lines and in key urban infrastructures were further analyzed. The main urban area and the eastern and western new districts of Zhengzhou, a national central city in China, were selected as the study area. A total of 16 Radarsat-2 SAR scenes acquired from two tracks during 2022–2024, with a spatial resolution of 3 m, were processed using the SBAS-InSAR technique to retrieve surface deformation. The results indicate that the mean deformation rate difference in the overlapping areas between the two SAR tracks is approximately −5.54 mm/a. After applying the difference-constrained correction, the coefficient of determination (R²) between the mosaicked InSAR results and leveling observations increased to 0.739, while the MAE and RMSE decreased to 4.706 and 5.538 mm, respectively, demonstrating good stability in achieving inter-track consistency and continuous regional deformation representation. Analysis of the corrected InSAR results reveals that, during 2022–2024, areas exhibiting uplift and subsidence trends accounted for 37.6% and 62.4% of the study area, respectively, while the proportions of cumulative subsidence and uplift areas were 66.45% and 33.55%. In the main urban area, surface deformation rates are generally stable and predominantly within ±5 mm/a, whereas subsidence rates in the eastern new district are significantly higher than those in the main urban area and the western new district. Along subway lines, deformation rates are mainly within ±5 mm/a, with relatively larger deformation observed only in localized sections of the eastern segment of Line 1. Further analysis of typical zones along the subway corridors shows that densely built areas in the western part of the main urban area remain relatively stable, while building-concentrated areas in the eastern region exhibit a persistent relative subsidence trend. Overall, the results demonstrate that the proposed inter-track InSAR mosaicking method based on the mean deformation difference in overlapping areas can effectively support subsidence monitoring and spatial pattern identification along urban subway lines and key regions under relative calibration conditions, providing reliable remote sensing information for refined urban management and infrastructure risk assessment. Full article

Monitoring construction-phase settlement of estuary-crossing tunnels founded on coastal soft soils is critical for risk management, yet dense in situ measurements are often unavailable along linear corridors. This study uses Sentinel-1A ascending SAR imagery (65 scenes, September 2022–August 2025) to retrieve time-series deformation along the Sanya Estuary Channel tunnel (China) using Permanent Scatterer InSAR (PS-InSAR) and Small Baseline Subset InSAR (SBAS-InSAR). The two approaches reveal a consistent subsidence hotspot at Tunnel Section D (DK0+000–DK0+330), while most of the corridor remains within ±5 mm/a. The line-of-sight deformation rates range from −24 to 17.7 mm/year (PS-InSAR) and −29.9 to 18.7 mm/a (SBAS-InSAR). Time-series analysis at representative points in Section D indicates a maximum cumulative settlement of −75.7 mm and a clear acceleration after May 2023. By integrating the deformation results with geological reports, construction logs and rainfall records, we infer that compressible marine clays and interbedded sand/aquifer zones control the hotspot, whereas excavation/dewatering and rainfall-related groundwater fluctuations further promote consolidation. The results provide a practical basis for subsidence risk screening and monitoring prioritization for estuary-crossing infrastructure in coastal soft-soil settings. From a sustainability perspective, the proposed joint PS–SBAS InSAR framework provides a scalable and cost-effective tool for continuous deformation surveillance, supporting preventive maintenance and risk-informed management of urban underground infrastructure. Full article

Urban tree canopy is increasingly recognized as a health-protective form of green infrastructure, yet its distribution remains uneven across socioeconomically stratified neighborhoods. This study quantifies fine-scale tree-canopy inequity across Census Block Groups (CBGs) in Baltimore and examines associations with socioeconomic deprivation and modeled pollution-related cancer risk. We integrated (i) 2023 US Forest Service canopy estimates aggregated to CBGs, (ii) Area Deprivation Index (ADI) national and state ranks, (iii) American Community Survey 5-year population counts, and (iv) EPA NATA/HAPs cancer-risk estimates aggregated to CBGs using population-weighted means. Associations were assessed using Spearman correlations and visualized with LOESS smoothers. Canopy was negatively associated with ADI national and state ranks (ρ = −0.509 and −0.503), explaining 29–31% of canopy variation. Population-weighted canopy declined from 47–51% in the least deprived decile to 13–15% in the most deprived (3.4–4.1× disparity). Beyond socioeconomic gradients, overall distributional inequity was quantified using a population-weighted Tree Canopy Inequality Index (TCI; weighted Gini), yielding TCI = 0.312, indicating substantial inequality. The population-weighted Atkinson index rose sharply under increasing inequality aversion (A_0.5 = 0.084; A₂ = 0.402), revealing extreme canopy deficits concentrated among the most disadvantaged neighborhoods. Canopy was also negatively associated with modeled cancer risk (ρ = −0.363). We constructed a Triple Burden Index integrating canopy deficit, deprivation, and cancer risk, identifying spatially clustered high-burden neighborhoods that collectively house over 86,000 residents. These findings demonstrate that canopy inequity in Baltimore is structurally concentrated and support equity-targeted greening and sustained maintenance strategies guided by distributional justice metrics. Full article

Concrete is the most widely used construction material worldwide, yet its production and disposal pose significant environmental challenges due to high carbon emissions and limited recyclability. While microbial colonization of concrete is often associated with structural deterioration, recent research has highlighted the potential of microorganisms to contribute positively to concrete recycling and self-healing. In this study, we investigated the bacterial and fungal communities inhabiting urban concrete samples using amplicon-based taxonomic profiling targeting the 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Our analyses revealed a diverse assemblage of microbial taxa capable of surviving the extreme physicochemical conditions of concrete. Several taxa were associated with known metabolic functions relevant to concrete degradation, such as acid and sulphate production, as well as biomineralization processes that may support crack repair and surface sealing. These findings suggest that concrete-associated microbiomes may serve as a reservoir of biological functions with potential applications in sustainable construction, including targeted biodegradation for recycling and biogenic mineral formation for structural healing. This work provides a foundation for developing microbial solutions to reduce the environmental footprint of concrete infrastructure. Full article