Influence of pavements on the urban heat island phenomenon: A scientific evolution analysis

Abstract

The growth of the population in cities and the increase in the use of construction materials caused the cities’ internal temperature to increase, producing the effect known as urban heat island. For this reason, there is scientific interest in mitigation methods of adaptation to this effect in the construction area. The main objective of this research is to analyse the scientific articles published from 1990 to 2019 that relate to pavements and the urban heat island phenomenon, using the SciMAT tool for bibliometric analysis to evaluate the general evolution of this area of science. The analysis was carried out on 107 articles, and a clear evolution was found in the research methodologies of studies of pavements in urban heat island conditions. Until 2008, 73% used field or controlled field experiments. In 2019, this ratio had decreased to 36%, while investigations with laboratory experiments were the most prevalent, at 37% of all investigations. In recent years, interdisciplinary research has focused on the issues of mitigating the effects of urban heat islands together with improving the energy performance of dwellings.