[Objective] The aim was to discuss the spatial pattern changes of land use in Tianjin new coastal area based on fractal dimensions.[Method] By dint of remote and geographic information system technology to obtain the data of urban land use in new coastal area from 1993 to 2008,the boundary dimension,radius dimension and information dimension of each land use type were calculated based on fractal dimension.In addition,the revealed land use spatial dimension changes characteristics were analyzed.[Result] The spatial distribution of each land use type in new costal area had distinct fractal characteristics.And,the amount and changes of three types of dimension values effectively revealed the changes of complicatedness,centeredness and evenness of spatial pattern of land use in the study area.The boundary dimension of unused land and salty earth increased incessantly,which suggested its increasing complicatedness.The boundary of the port and wharf and shoal land was getting simpler.The radius dimension of the cultivated land was larger than 2,which suggested that its area spread from center to the surroundings;the one in salty land and waters distributed evenly within different radius space to the center of the city;the one in other land use types reduced gradually from center to the surroundings.The information dimension value in the woodland and orchard land,unused land and shoal land was small,and was in obvious concentrated distribution;the spatial distribution of cultivated and salty land concentrated in the outside area;the construction area in the port and wharf spread gradually on the basis of original state;the spatial distribution of waters and residents and mines were even.[Conclusion] Applying fractal dimensions to the study of spatial pattern changes of urban land use can make up for some disadvantages in classical urban spatial pattern quantitative research,which has favorable practical value.
