The Network-Max-P-Regions model

ABSTRACT

This paper introduces a new p-regions model called the Network-Max-P-Regions (NMPR) model. The NMPR is a regionalization model that aims to aggregate n areas into the maximum number of regions (max-p) that satisfy a threshold constraint and to minimize the heterogeneity while taking into account the influence of a street network. The exact formulation of the NMPR is presented, and a heuristic solution is proposed to effectively compute the near-optimized partitions in several simulation datasets and a case study in Wuhan, China.

KEYWORDS:

• Network-Max-P-Regions
• heuristics
• spatial contiguity
• streets
• regionalization

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the editor and anonymous referees for their comments and suggestions that improved this paper. The usual disclaimer applies.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation: [Grant Numbers 1416509 and 1637242] and the National Natural Science Foundation of China: [Grant Number 41329001].