Urban sprawl led by continuous expansion of urban built-up areas is one of the essential features of landscape change in regions experiencing rapid urbanization. Expansion of urban built-up areas is constrained by both the external factors ((e.g.,) topography, land use, and enforced protection measures) and the development needs within cities (e.g. growth of the socio-economic activities and population). Meanwhile, the existing urban structures, such as size and shape of the urbanized patches, and their d...