Analyzing the Urban Sprawl-Form and Characteristics: A Case Study of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

Urban sprawl, characterized by unorganized, irregular built-up development encircling cities, poses a grave peril to natural resources and disrupts the delicate ecological equilibrium. Hence, comprehending and dissecting the spatial dynamics of urban expansion assumes critical significance for fostering effective and sustainable urban planning practices. Employing fractal dimension, Shannon’s entropy, and classified built-up maps for the years 2000, 2011, and 2021, this study is dedicated to scrutinizing the fractal attributes of urban structures and the sprawling nature prevalent in Thiruvananthapuram city, situated in the state of Kerala, India. The findings of the study reveal that dispersed settlement growth is notably concentrated towards the northern and northwestern fringes of the city, exerting substantial stress on the existing natural environment. The progressively widening gap between the textural and structural fractal dimensions serves as a stark indicator of impending threats to the sustainability of urban development. Among different urban forms, the central urban core, secondary urban core, and ribbon settlements display a more complex interplay in their textural and structural associations over time, while the fringe zones consistently uphold optimal settings conducive to thoughtful settlement development. The study also establishes that the year 2011 stands as a pivotal milestone, distinguished by an optimal urban composition within the evolutionary trajectory of the city.