Simulating informal settlement growth in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: An agent-based housing model

Authored by Ellen-Wien Augustijn-Beckers, Johannes Flacke, Bas Retsios

Date Published: 2011-03

DOI: 10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2011.01.001

Sponsors: No sponsors listed

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

The simulation of the growth of informal settlements can be an essential building block to manage urbanization processes in cities of the developing world. We used agent-based modelling to develop a vector-based, micro-scale housing model to simulate the growth of informal settlements. A proto-type of the housing model was implemented for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The results show that such a vector-based housing model built on three simple rules of spatial change (infilling, extension and enlargement of existing houses) can successfully simulate the housing pattern of informal settlements growth. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tags

Agent-based modelling Informal Settlements Urban growth modelling Vector-based