Unraveling Urban Network Dynamics with Complex Network Modeling: a Case Study of Chengdu, China

Chengdu, recognized as a pivotal national high-tech industrial center, a thriving commercial and logistics hub, and an integrated transportation nexus within China, boasted a permanent resident population of 21.192 million in the year 2021. This study embarks on a comprehensive analysis of Chengdu’s urban network, employing the formidable framework of complex network theory to scrutinize network performance and delineate its intricate topological structures. To unravel the city’s urban network, we have abstracted it into a two-layered framework. The first layer features districts as nodes, with edges representing geographic adjacency, meticulously derived from data provided by the People’s Government of Chengdu. The second layer focuses on core business districts, characterizing them as nodes connected through geographical proximity. The strength of each node in the urban network is thoughtfully defined, taking into account both population and regional GDP, allowing for a multifaceted understanding of their significance. In our pursuit of understanding Chengdu’s urban network, we have meticulously calculated essential metrics such as degree, clustering coefficient, and betweenness to rank the nodes within the network. These metrics offer invaluable insights into the city’s intricate spatial structure, highlighting key nodes and their roles in shaping Chengdu’s urban landscape. This research assumes paramount significance as it enriches and deepens our comprehension of Chengdu’s urban network, shedding light on its distinctive characteristics and offering innovative methodologies to optimize its spatial configuration. The findings also hold profound implications for the prospective development of an urban ultra-low-altitude UAV logistics network. In a world where population growth and economic expansion invariably signify heightened logistical demands, our results pave the way for informed, efficient, and sustainable urban planning and development in Chengdu and beyond.