Urban sprawl evolution and its impacts on the human settlement environment in Hangzhou, China

Urban sprawl has become one of the most prominent spatial phenomena in rapidly urbanizing cities, generating profound effects on the ecological environment, economic efficiency, and social sustainability. However, the comprehensive influence of urban sprawl on human settlements remains insufficiently studied in rapidly urbanizing regions of East Asia, particularly in Chinese cities. This paper investigates the spatiotemporal evolution of urban sprawl in Hangzhou, China, from 2014 to 2023, and evaluates its impacts on human settlements using Wu Liangyong’s five-system framework. Land use data derived from remote sensing imagery and statistical sources were analyzed with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the Shannon entropy model, and the Sprawl Index to measure the intensity, direction, and equilibrium of the sprawl. A weighted index system based on the entropy weight method and Stepwise Regression analysis was employed to assess human settlement responses across five subsystems: Natural, Human, Social, Living, and Supportive Networks. Results reveal that Hangzhou experienced a significant expansion of its built-up areas, primarily through the conversion of cultivated land and woodland. The urban structure shifted from a monocentric to a polycentric pattern, with the main urban core approaching saturation and new growth concentrated in suburban centers and along transportation corridors. The Comprehensive Settlement Index improved markedly, with the Supportive Network and Living Systems most sensitive to sprawl, while the Natural System lagged behind due to ecological degradation. These findings highlight the dual role of sprawl - enhancing social and infrastructural systems while weakening ecological resilience - and underscore the necessity of integrated planning strategies to balance urban development with environmental sustainability.