Based on satellite images in 1979, 1992, 2001 and 2006, we extracted urban spatial expansion information of Shenyang City through human-computer interactive method, and analyzed its temporal and spatial characteristics, from the aspects of growth intensity, center coordinates, compact index, fractal index, and elasticity coefficient by using GIS spatial statistical and analysis function for the spatial data, and discuss the driving force in the ultimate.

Results/Conclusions

The results showed that: urban build-up area and expansion intensity of Shenyang City increased continuously during 1979 to 2006, scale and speed of urban expansion reached the maximum during the period of 2001 to 2006. Obviously, urban expansion present directional heterogeneity with gravity shifted to the southwest, compact index decreased and fractal index increased, making urban spatial configuration more and more complex. The main driving forces causing urban expansion included natural environmental factors, economic development, population growth, traffic infrastructure construction and government policy and planning.