Symposium on Remote Sensing for Resources Development and Environmental Management / Enschede / August 1986 
831 
Urban change detection and analysis using multidate 
remote sensed images 
Chen Jun, Guan Zequn, Zhan Qinming, Sun Jiabing & Lu Hueiwen 
Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping, China 
Zheng Zhixiao 
The Research Institute of Urban Planning and Design of Hubei Province, China 
ABSTRACT:: In this paper, the methods and experiments of urban change study using the 
remote sensing techniques are introduced. A series of Hanyan's urban change maps were 
compiled after the interpretation and analysis of the sequential airphotos (1955, 1965, 
1977» 1981 ). On the basis of the remote sensed data and auxiliary data, the authors have 
made a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the change of Hanyan's urban morphology, 
landscape and touristic resources in the last thirty years. The implementation of the 
urban master planning was also examined by comparing the sequential airphotos and urban 
master plans. 
I. Urban Change Mapping Using Multidate Airphotos 
The airphotos are real images of land surface at the 
moment of photographing. A great deal of information 
of urban area, such as landuse, environment, popula 
tion density etc., could be derived from airphotos. 
The relevant information of urban growth and change 
could also be obtained using the sequential airphotos. 
Four year's airphotos (table 1) are used in the 
detection and analysis of Hanyan's urban change and 
a series of urban change maps was compiled on the 
basis of photointerpretation and analysis. It aims 
mainly at representing the historical process of 
urban expansion and the dynamic changes of each 
urban element. The main contents of each map are 
listed on table 4* 
sources, urban pollution sources were also inter 
preted with some ground surveys. Furthermore, by 
comparing the urban master plans (1965» 1977) and 
the corresponding airphotos (1977» 1981 ), two maps 
were made to reflect the differences between the 
urban master planing and the real urban expansion 
(1965-1977, 1977-1981 ). 
II. Hanyan's Urban Change Analysis 
The series of urban change maps as well as the 
sequential airphotos are used to the analysis of 
urban change of Hanyan, which is one of the three 
cities of WUHAN. Figture 1 . gives the basic philos 
ophy of the study. 
Table 1 . The airphotos used in Hanyan's urban change 
detection and analysis. 
No year 
Type 
scale 
1 1955 
Black white 
pancramatic 18x18 
1 :60000 
2 1965 
Black white 
pancramatic 18x18 
1 :25000 
5 1977 
Black white 
pancramatic 18x18 
1 :2 0000 
4 1981 
false color 
infra-red 23x23 
1:8000 
It is vorthing mentioning that an expert knowledge 
and supplementary data are necessary to delineate 
the different urban landuse. Since the airphotos of 
1955, 1 965 and 1977 offer a different picture of 
what presently existing on the ground, a special 
method of interpretation was considered. Considering 
the fact that some urban landuse types remain un 
changed during certain years, the photos taken 
several years ago were interpreted by making refe 
rence to the current urban landuse and the topogra 
phic maps and other auxiliary data. By comparing 
the sequential airphotos and the sequential urban 
landuse maps (compiled after photointerpretation), 
the change of different urban landuse, urban mor 
phology and some urban elements are easily derived 
and are compiled into the corresponding urban change 
maps. The present public facilities, touristic re- 
sequential 
-change of urban morphology 
airphotos 
-Influence of Industrial develop- 
ment to urban land sc; ape and 
urban change 
touristic resources 
maps 
Щ 
-Dynamic change of urban landuse 
and suburb landuse 
auxiliary data 
-chracteristics of urban formation 
and documents 
and growth 
-Implementation of urban master 
ground survey 
planning 
and inventory 
—ъ 
-Experiences and lessons in the 
previous actions of urban plan- 
urban master 
ning, construction ajnd 
plans 
management 
Fig 1. Philosophy of urban change analysis of 
Hanyan using sequential airphotos. 
1. Change of urban morphology and landuse . 
It is seen from the urban change maps that Hanyan 
city grew very fast. The urban area of Hanyan 
increased 14-81 kilometer square from 1955 to 1981. 
The main motive force of the urban growth is the 
passthrough of railway from Beijing to Guangzhou 
and the construction of a number of large entreprises 
and key projects in Hanyan. The layout of the in 
dustrial landuse and storehouses played an important 
role to the scale, formation and function of the 
city. 
As indicated in table 5, the percentage of industrial 
landuse and storehouses to the total urban area in 
Hanyan was 26.95% in 1965 and 34*65% in 1981.