Effect of Urban Road Trees on Temperature Caused by Surface Materials

Urban roads play a significant role for analyzing the complex structure of the city. The climatic features of the city provide information about the comfort of the inhabitants. The climate changes may be observed on a micro-scale due to the increase of impermeable surfaces. Surfaces such as concrete and asphalt contribute to the formation of an urban heat island as they store the temperature. This study aims to determine the effects of plant material, which is a significant element of urban roads, on temperature arising from surface materials. In this context, the effect of Ficus retusa-nitida on the formation of temperature caused by the surface material has been revealed. The study was carried out in Iskenderun, the second largest district of Hatay province in terms of population, in 3 stages in a periold of 6-months between July and December 2020. In the first stage, the studies on the subject were brought together and the points to be measured in the area were determined. At this stage, asphalt (shade-under F.retusa-nitida, sun) and parquet (shade-under F.retusa-nitida, sun) surfaces were selected at a total of 8 points located mutually on the main road axis. The second stage of the study is the stage where surface temperature measurements are made. Measurements were performed once a month at 06:00, 09:00; 12:00, 15:00; 18:00; 21:00 and 24:00 using an infrared thermometer at a height of 150 cm from the surface with 3 repetitions. At the third stage, all data were transferred to GIS using ArcGIS 10.5 software and modelled by using the Kriging Interpolation Method. In line with the results obtained, suggestions for the selection of surface material and the use of plant materials on urban roads have been developed.