Abstract
Optimising the layout of garbage bins is a requirement for improving the utilisation efficiency of rural infrastructure and continuously promoting the renovation of rural human settlements in China. This study selects Yuding Village in Chongqing, China, as the study area. The present distribution of garbage bins and the existing problems are analysed on the basis of interview materials and the point on interest data of garbage bins obtained from an on-the-spot investigation. Actor network theory (ANT) is suitable for small-scale micro research, and thus, this study uses ANT to construct a research framework for garbage bin layout optimisation. Then, it designs an optimisation path for the layout of garbage bins in Yuding Village by identifying different actors and their common interests, classifying the transformation of roles amongst various actors and building a stable heterogeneous network that can be used as a guide for determining the optimal spatial layout of garbage bins. This study combines a sociological theory with geospatial phenomena, providing a new idea for studying the optimal layout of infrastructure.