Evolution and Evaluation of the Guangzhou Metro Network Topology Based on an Integration of Complex Network Analysis and GIS

Abstract

This paper takes the metro network of Guangzhou as a case study, and provides a quantitative analysis of the historical development of the network from 1999 to 2018. Particularly, the evolution of the topological structure of the Guangzhou Metro Network (GMN) is evaluated and characterized through the integration of geographic information system (GIS) and complex network analysis. The results show that: (1) The metro network of Guangzhou possesses the basic characteristics of small-world network, (2) with the development of GMN, the network complexity is increased and the spatial dispersion of the nodes tends to ease, but the average travel time and transfer rate continues to rise up, leading to the decreasing of the network transmission efficiency and the scattering of the nodes, (3) a good fault tolerance of the overall metro network of Guangzhou is revealed, but the spatial variance is observed, (4) the peak of degree centrality (DC) of the nodes is gradually moving northward along “Kecun Station–Guangzhou railway station–Jiahe Wanggang station”, while the peak of betweenness centrality (BC) is changing from “Kecun station” to “Jiahe Wanggang station”, and Jiahe Wanggang station has evolved into the most critical node in the current metro network of Guangzhou. In conclusion, this study should provide the scientific basis and significant decision-making support to the planning and operation management of GMN.