The Impact of Terrain on the Planar Spatial Morphology of Mountain Settlements Studied Using Fractal Dimensions

As urbanization progresses in China, the importance of preserving traditional settlements, particularly those located in mountainous areas, is increasingly recognized. To reveal the spatial morphology of mountain settlements influenced by topography, this study employs fractal geometry to analyze twelve mountain settlements within the Jiexiu City region. The correlation between the fractal dimensions of building structures in these settlements and those of suitable construction areas was examined, revealing a significant positive relationship. Moreover, an in-depth spatial distribution analysis of the representative village, Xingdi Village, was conducted to examine its sub-regional spatial morphology. Utilizing the Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) model, this study explored the impact of slope, aspect, and elevation on the spatial form of mountainous settlements. The results indicate that the complexity of sub-spaces within Xingdi Village gradually decreases with village expansion, and there is a significant positive correlation between flat terrain and sub-spatial morphology. Based on this, a conservation framework rooted in the morphological characteristics of settlement typologies is proposed.