Growth estimations in settlement planning using a land use cellular automata model (LUCAM)*

This article describes the main features of a Land Use Cellular Automata Model (LUCAM) developed within the scope a Ph.D. thesis by using both physical and socio‐economic data and on the basis of the relationships between the smallest cellular function and other functions that vary according to the fractal structure of settlements. An assessment of the research findings is also included. The article has five sections: Following the introduction, the evolution of land use models, in particular Cellular Automata (CA) based land use models, is described. Then, the main features of LUCAM are presented, and the basics of the criteria used in determining the model parameters is described. The model developed, which can easily be used in computer environments, aims to minimize the calculation time in growth estimation processes, and thus become a widely used tool. In this article, the model was applied to the settlement of Bursa (Turkey), and the results obtained were assessed. The conclusion section offers general guidelines on the use of the model and discusses the advantages of employing the model in CA based studies that are likely to emerge in the future.