Knowledge Domain and Development Trend of Urban Flood Vulnerability Research: A Bibliometric Analysis

Floods have become the most prevalent and catastrophic natural hazard that plagues cities worldwide. As an inherent characteristic of an urban system that reflects the degree of effect of flooding and the capacity to cope with it, urban flood vulnerability is of great significance when analyzing and managing flood disasters. To produce a better profile of the current status and the development trend of urban flood vulnerability research, this study conducted a bibliometric analysis using CiteSpace software based on 1134 articles sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection database. The results showed that the annual publication number exhibited an ascending trajectory, which was characterized by three stages: the sprouting stage, the stable development stage and the rapid development stage. The United States, China and England were the most productive countries. Among the top co-cited journals were Natural Hazards, Natural Hazards and Earth System Science, Global Environmental Change and the Journal of Hydrology. In addition, the focus of this research can be succinctly summarized as vulnerability assessments and mapping, the impact of climate change and urbanization on urban flood vulnerability and the integration of urban flood vulnerability with flood risk and urban resilience. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the current status and development trends of research related to urban flood vulnerability, and it contributes an understanding of the key areas of focus in this field as well as insights into potential prospects for future investigation for researchers and practitioners.