Scientist have begun to understand that urban transportation and infrastructure networks grow like biological systems.
NewScientistTech
Key aspects of the finding include;
They found that cities' road patterns have a lot in common mathematically, as well as looking similar to the eye.
'Not just planning'
The researchers developed a simple mathematical model that can recreate the characteristic leaf-like patterns that develop, growing a road network from scratch as it would in reality.
The main influence on the simulated network as it grows is the need to efficiently connect new areas to the existing road network – a process they call "local optimisation". They say the road patterns in cities evolve thanks to similar local efforts, as people try to connect houses, businesses and other infrastructures to existing roads.
Evolution has ensured that local efficiency also drives the growth of transport networks in biology – for example, in plant leaf veins and circulatory systems.
"Cities are not just the result of rational planning – in the same way that living organisms are not simply what is in their genetic code," Barthélemy told New Scientist.
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2 Comments
Not quite sure I give constructal theory two thumbs up just yet. It looks like it is already covered in fractal self similarity theory.
For now I give string theory two thumbs up. Only problem there is what to do with the inside of an atom.
Dont forget we grided the country into townships, counties etc. years ago and political boundries have much to add to the form of our cities and sprawl patterns
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