Evaluation of intensive land use and the growth patterns in urban fringe: Using AHP and GIS methods

Urban fringe area refers to a transition or interaction zone, where urban and rural activities are juxtaposed, and landscape features are subject to rapid modifications, induced by human activities. In the background of sustainability development and urban-rural integration, the models of land use and growth patterns in urban fringe are the new hot topic in developing countries, especially in China. In this paper, we set down the research route and method in establishment of indicator system. Using integrated AHP method based on GIS technology, we create one optimal indicator system to reflect the goal in this study based on lots of literatures focused on the research for cities. Four towns in the fringe of Suzhou city are as the cases and were analyzed the position of land intensification use and growth patterns. In the end of this paper, some relative problems and some measures to resolve them were point out.