Assessing spatial flows of city and peripheral area (Case: Papi district - Khorramabad County)

Introduction
In the study of developing countries regions, the interactions between urban and rural areas are considered essential components. Understanding the relationship between urban and rural areas is crucial in regional and rural planning. By comprehensively studying an area and identifying its potential talents and resources, it becomes possible to find solutions to resolve differences and contradictions between cities and villages.
Transportation and communication have advanced significantly in the modern world, leading to complex relationships between urban and rural areas. These relationships involve the movement of goods, people, ideas, money, information, and innovation, causing cities and villages to experience changes. Small towns, in particular, are ideal for creating and growing communities and activity centers, making changes more noticeable. Furthermore, the relationships between small towns and surrounding villages are critical for rural development and can be analyzed from different perspectives, such as service, economic, social, and environmental.
This research aims to analyze the spatial flows in residential areas to explain the spatial system in the Papi District, located in Khorramabad County. The hypothesis is that the city of Sepiddasht does not have a significant impact on its surroundings and that the primary relationship between the villages of the Papi District and the surrounding cities.
 
Methodology
The present study is applied in terms of purpose, exploratory in nature, and descriptive-analytical in terms of method. The study analyzed all settlements, both urban and rural. Data was collected using a questionnaire developed for each village to study spatial flows based on flow volume, type, and density. Additionally, secondary data was obtained from relevant organizations and institutions. The analysis was conducted using network analysis technology and NodeXL software through the network paradigm.
 
Results and discussion
The amount of products entering and leaving settlements varies. The settlements with the highest volume of direct product flow are Pesil, Bishe Station, Cham Sangar Station, Sangtrashan to Khorramabad, and Boroujerd. Most settlements in the area transport their products outside of the ward. These products are usually destined for the cities of Khorramabad, Boroujerd, and Doroud. Khorramabad and Dorud receive horticultural and agricultural products, while Boroujerd mainly receives livestock products. Sepiddasht has a minor role in the product flow, as only a few nearby villages supply goods to this city.
After comparing the weight of Sepiddasht, Khorramabad, and Doroud in terms of their internal and external relations, it was determined that the main service center of Sepiddasht is located fairly close to Khorramabad. This is due, in part, to the fact that Sepiddasht's administrative center is situated in a more residential area within the district, which has a stronger connection to the city for administrative purposes than other urban centers at a higher level.
Khorramabad is a central hub for capital flow from 124 settlements in the area. This makes it the sector's top destination for large amounts of capital. While the city provides necessary services to the sector, it hinders the expansion and development of businesses in the area. Funds from villages in the district are typically sent to Khorramabad to invest in banks. The outbound flow of capital is much higher than inbound flow. Many residents in the sector's villages are eager to invest their funds in Khorramabad.
 
Conclusion
After analyzing the spatial flows in each stream, it is clear that the relationships follow a one-way center-periphery structure. This means the studied settlements act independently, without complementary roles supporting the network. Unlike focal networks and spider webs, these centers have separate economic or service maps. Urbanization has led to specialization, resource redistribution, and major activities in these places, giving them a high comparative advantage. Khorramabad and Dorud have created a spatial concentration by combining facilities and services among their settlements, an objective manifestation of the center-periphery pattern. In Sepiddasht City, the inadequate facilities and services have resulted in extraterrestrial space currents in the Papi district, with the main flows directed towards Khorramabad. It has been observed that rural settlements in the Papi district depend on administrative services from the city of Sepiddasht and the central villages. However, in terms of the flow of people, products, and capital, they are more connected to the city of Khorramabad, Dorud, and Boroujerd than Sepiddasht. Based on these findings, Sepiddasht has a minor role in the spatial flows of the Papi section. The hypothesis of the research has been confirmed in this regard.