Evaluation of spatial density of construction violations using geographic information system (GIS) in Qom metropolis

Pour Ahmad, Ahmad; Rajaei, Seyyed Abbas; Haji Mirrahimi, Seyed Mahmoud

doi:10.22034/jget.2025.513259.1617

Evaluation of spatial density of construction violations using geographic information system (GIS) in Qom metropolis

Authors

ahmad pour ahmad ¹

seyyed abbas rajaei ²

seyed mahmoud haji mirrahimi ³

¹ Professor of the Department of human Geography, University of Tehran, Iran

² Associate Professor Department of Human Geography, University of Tehran, Iran.

³ PhD student in Geography and Urban Planning, University of Tehran, Iran

10.22034/jget.2025.513259.1617

Abstract

Introduction: Any construction carried out without written permission from the municipality, or in violation of such permission, is considered a construction violation. In Qom, the increase in construction projects that disregard urban planning regulations has led to buildings being constructed in non-standard and rule-breaking ways—an issue with negative social, economic, and environmental consequences.
Purpose: This study aims to identify which urban districts have experienced the highest and lowest frequencies of building violations.
Geographical area: The geographical area under study includes the eight administrative districts of Qom Municipality, which constitute the legal and service boundaries of the city.
Methodology: This research follows a descriptive approach. The data pertains to building violations referred to the Article 100 Commission of Qom Municipality over four years (2019–2022). ArcGIS software was used to analyze the data, with Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) employed as the primary spatial analysis technique.
Results and Discussion: The four most frequent construction violations in Qom are encroachment on the street, unauthorized subdivision of land, excess density, and parking deficiency. Street encroachment is scattered across the city; unauthorized subdivision is observed in Districts 2 and 6; excess density is concentrated in Districts 7 and 4; and parking deficiency is observed in Districts 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7.
Conclusion: Using the Kernel Density Estimation technique in a GIS environment can assess the density of construction violations. Through this, the spatial concentration of construction violations can be identified at the metropolitan scale of Qom, and the most effective strategies and policies for addressing them can be formulated.

Keywords

Construction violations

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Qom city

Subjects