A study on road accessibility based on space syntax: a case study of the inner area of Xi'an Ming Dynasty city wall

This paper establishes an axial model for the roads within the Ming Dynasty City Wall area of Xi'an and conducts spatial syntax analysis using Depthmap software. Parameters such as integration and selection are analyzed. The data reveals that the roads inside the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Xi'an follow a grid-like pattern centered around the Bell Tower, with north-south and east-west thoroughfares serving as the primary axes. The main roads exhibit high integration, while peripheral roads show lower integration. The synergy is highly correlated, and local alleys are subordinate to the main axes without detours. Roads with higher integration also exhibit higher selection, leading to congestion during peak hours. Finally, pedestrian flow is analyzed across four time periods (workdays and rest days), showing the highest concentrations around major subway entrances and primary roads, consistent with the integration analysis results. The study concludes with optimization suggestions and recommendations for the roads within the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Xi'an.