Quantifying texture irregularity and its drivers in stone masonry walls: evidence from traditional villages in Xindu China

Abstract Why do traditional stone masonry walls display different textures across villages? This study examines 32 nationally designated traditional villages in Xindu District, China, to quantify wall texture irregularity and explain its spatial differentiation. Standardized 2 m × 2 m wall samples were documented through field surveys, terrestrial laser scanning, and computer-assisted analysis. Form, Size, Compactness, and Inclination factors were integrated into the Stone Masonry Wall Irregularity Index. Villages were projected onto a mountain–plain axis, and regression analysis tested the relationship between irregularity and distance from the historical center. Results reveal a hierarchical construction pattern in which large stones form primary frameworks and smaller stones provide infill and geometric adjustment. Irregularity follows a pronounced U-shaped spatial pattern, with more regular textures near mountain resource zones and the historical center but fragmented textures in the intermediate transition zone. Greater regularity near the historical center highlights the importance of technological diffusion, artisan mobility, and cultural transmission alongside stone accessibility.