Comparing fractal indices of electric networks to roads and buildings: The case of Grenoble (France)

Abstract We compare the fractal indices of the power grid of the city of Grenoble (France) to those computed on the spatial organization of the buildings and the road infrastructure. We assess the fractal dimensions and the curves of scaling behavior and conduct a concordance analysis. We study different districts within the city and compare the power and road networks with the built-up patterns. We show the importance of using carefully data sets from different sources and how it could sometimes make major differences ahead of further use. We conclude on the optimality of the spatial coverage of the distribution network in Grenoble.