Keywords
informal settlement growth, housing, evidence driven agent-based model
Start Date
1-7-2010 12:00 AM
Abstract
The paper discusses the use of empirical evidence to derive the concept for aspatially explicit agent-based model that simulates land-use change in an informalsettlement in the city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Dar es Salaam’s informal settlements arehome to 70 – 80 % of the city’s residents and are characterized by high housing densities,unstructured road infrastructure and inadequate water, electricity, and sewerage services.However, they differ from typical Sub-Saharan informal settlements in two main ways:First they consist of residents with varying socioeconomic backgrounds, specificallyincome, education, and type of employment. Second, plots of land are not squatted on. Themain purpose of the research is to develop the concept for an agent-based model forinformal settlement growth derived from empirical findings. The model concentrates on theeconomic aspects of the spatial growth, but also includes other socioeconomic andbiophysical elements. Empirical evidence on household behaviour was acquired via aquestionnaire survey in which data on personal details, plot and house details, locationpreferences, and the housing development process was obtained.
Agent-based model of the growth of an informal settlement in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: An empirically informed concept
The paper discusses the use of empirical evidence to derive the concept for aspatially explicit agent-based model that simulates land-use change in an informalsettlement in the city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Dar es Salaam’s informal settlements arehome to 70 – 80 % of the city’s residents and are characterized by high housing densities,unstructured road infrastructure and inadequate water, electricity, and sewerage services.However, they differ from typical Sub-Saharan informal settlements in two main ways:First they consist of residents with varying socioeconomic backgrounds, specificallyincome, education, and type of employment. Second, plots of land are not squatted on. Themain purpose of the research is to develop the concept for an agent-based model forinformal settlement growth derived from empirical findings. The model concentrates on theeconomic aspects of the spatial growth, but also includes other socioeconomic andbiophysical elements. Empirical evidence on household behaviour was acquired via aquestionnaire survey in which data on personal details, plot and house details, locationpreferences, and the housing development process was obtained.
