From traditional density to compaction index: the example of Van province

Due to the spread of epidemic diseases such as Covid 19, through the mobility and interaction of infected people, rates of transmission, infection and death are even higher in urban areas with higher density. Density is a measurement obtained by dividing the number of people by the area; we can call it "Traditional Density". However, traditional density alone is not enough for cities that are growing and developing day by day and becoming increasingly complex. In the study, the average compaction index for Van province was calculated as 3788.67 person/km2 (one person in Van province lives with 3788.67 persons in one square kilometer). According to the traditional population density, there are 57.69 people per square kilometer in Van throughout the province. While the traditional density for the city center of Van is 1368.39 person/km2, this value is 7164.92 person/km2 according to the compaction index. The Compaction Index, weighted density by population, is an alternative to the traditional density scale, which is the total population divided by the total area. The compaction index is the average of the densities of the subareas of a larger area weighted by the populations of the subareas. Urban sprawl is directly related to compaction, and the selection of the appropriate density scale is crucial for a developing city. Although both types of density are positively related to the size of urban areas, the compaction index takes a different density aspect compared to conventional density. Compaction index; It is a scale that should be considered in situations such as health, transportation, urban life, education, fire, natural disaster management and coordination. Therefore, it is a useful alternative in most cases.