Spatial Integration Of Rural Settlements Based On Improved Gravity Model

With the rapid urbanization, the expansion of urban space has a great impact on the surrounding rural space, and prompting a change in the rural residents'mode of production, lifestyles and employment patterns. Caused by the rapid turnover and development of the spatial structure of rural settlements, rural settlements urgently need to transition from dispersed to cluster development.With the accelerated of industrialization and urbanization, demand for urban land is increasing, construction land occupy a large number of farmland, the relationship between people and land become tense. At the same time, rural settlements still use the extensive land use mode, disordered spatial distribution, lack of direction in rural construction planning. Rearranging the rural settlements can make them more concentrated and bring benefits to the construction of infrastructures and public careers while improving rural living environment. The Gravity Model is an important a method to analysis the spatial interaction between rural settlements. Results of the gravity model study can shed light on the spatial integration for rural settlements.Based on the study of Jintan of Jiangsu Province, this study explores the mechanism of spatial interaction between rural settlements. Using GIS, and conducts some research on optimizing the distribution of rural settlements measured by Gravity Mode. The main methodology can be outlined as follows:first analyzes the meaning and elements of Gravity Mode of the rural settlements; and then discusses the improvement of two main parameters:the distance between rural settlements and rural settlements'development potential. Finally regard the application results of the improved gravity model on the optimization of the rural settlements arrangement.The main contents are listed as follows:(1) Calculation of time distance between rural settlements. This study improve scale calculation method of two parameters in gravity model:the distance and the quality. Combining the cultivated land radius and passage time grids computing the time distance between rural settlements, use cost weighting calculation of time distance between rural settlements, instead the spatial distance in gravity model.(2) Evaluate development potential of rural settlements. Analysis of the factors affecting development potential of rural settlements, using GIS spatial analysis and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to calculate rural settlements'development potential, instead the quality in gravity model.(3)The improved Gravity Model based optimization of rural settlements distribution. Combining the distribution status and considering the spatial structure system of rural settlements, this study optimizes the arrangement of the rural settlements in the Jintan, including analyze of center rural settlements, grassroots rural settlements and rural settlements merge analysis.The results of the study show that:(1)the Gravity model can be a good calculation and display of such interactive relationship between rural settlements.(2) By improving the two parameters in gravity model, gravity model can be more effective in rural settlements integration research.(3) Maximum gravitational connection between rural settlements can be very clear to construct the spatial structure system of rural settlements.(4) Rural settlements gravity model can effectively support the study of optimization of the rural settlements arrangement.