Research on the influence of traditional street morphology on outdoor thermal comfort in dry and hot regions: A case study of Kashgar Terraced Households

Outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) is one of the most critical factors influencing people’s willingness to engage in outdoor activities in extreme climatic zones, and traditional street configurations significantly affect outdoor thermal comfort. This study investigates the impact mechanisms of traditional earthen street configurations on outdoor thermal comfort in arid climatic zones, using the Kashgar Terraced Residences, the largest earthen architecture complex in China, as a case study. A combination of field measurements and simulations was employed to analyze the thermal comfort effects of traditional earthen street configurations in arid climates.First, 200 street configuration models representing the current state of Kashgar Terraced Residences streets were constructed and validated using microclimate field measurements. Second, the Ladybug tools were used to simulate hourly outdoor thermal comfort conditions from 8:00 to 22:00 during the hottest and coldest months of the year, with the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) selected as the evaluation metric for outdoor thermal comfort. Finally, a quantitative analysis was conducted to elucidate the impact mechanisms of different factors on OTC in earthen architectural heritage streets in arid climatic zones.The results indicate that the proportion of daytime hours in which the streets of Kashgar Terraced Residences are in a “No thermal stress” state is 35.4% during the hottest month and 0% during the coldest month. Geometric factors (aspect ratio and sky view factor) show a stronger correlation with OTC during the hottest month compared to the coldest month. However, the impact of orientation on OTC is significantly greater during the coldest month than during the hottest month. Wind speed exhibits a clear negative correlation with OTC in both the hottest and coldest months. These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing street thermal comfort and livability in similar climatic zones.