Infrastructure stock in the process of urbanization in Beijing

• Published in: Alexandria engineering journal Vol. 61; no. 4; pp. 3277 - 3291
• Main Authors: Dai, Tiejun, Qu, Zhenghong, Shi, Fubin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.04.2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: Decoupling model; Infrastructure stock; Stock analysis; Urbanization; Urbanization; Infrastructure stock; Stock analysis; Decoupling model
• ISSN: 1110-0168
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aej.2021.08.060

At present, the urbanization in Beijing is developing fast, and its accompanying rapid accumulation pattern of urban infrastructure stock is undoubtedly of great significance to the realization of Beijing's infrastructure construction and urbanization coordinated development. This paper analyzes the time series of changes in 8 types of infrastructure stock and 10 types of infrastructure materials in Beijing through the stock accounting model. The decoupling relationship between the level of urbanization in Beijing and the infrastructure stock is analyzed through the decoupling model. Its purpose is to achieve social and economic development while achieving the optimal scale of infrastructure stock construction, thereby promoting the progress of Beijing's new urban development. The results show that: (1) Beijing's infrastructure stock was on an upward trend from 1949 to 2018. In 2018, the total infrastructure stock expanded to 1,384 times that of 1949, reaching 3,342.036 million tons. It has experienced a process of slow growth from 1949 to 1975, rapid growth from 1976 to 2008, and steady growth from 2009 to 2018. (2) From 1949 to 2018, in terms of building types, Beijing has the largest housing stocks, followed by the road stocks, the pipeline stocks and the track stocks. In terms of material types, gravel, cement, bricks, and steel account for about 99% of the infrastructure material stock in Beijing. (3) The state has reached weak decoupling between the level of urbanization in Beijing and the stock of roads and track, and is moving from “weak decoupling” to finally achieving “strong decoupling”, while the state between the level of urbanization and housing stocks and pipeline stocks has not yet reached decoupling. The state between the level of urbanization and the stock of various infrastructure materials has not yet reached a state of decoupling, and most of them are extended decoupling, which puts great pressure on Beijing's resources and environment.