Visualization of the impact of time on internal flooring

This paper forms part of a broader research into the development of a building maintenance programme through visualization of the building as it degrades over time. In a previous work, by the authors, the overview model of building maintenance visualization has been given in which the behaviour of building components are mathematically analysed before submitted for VRML representation. In a later effort, the authors addressed, in greater detail, the visualization of the lighting system of a building through time. The work analysed the lighting systems from various perspectives and formulated their probabilistic behaviour, by developing a generic algorithm for the Probability Density Functions (PDF) representing the behaviour of the light source. In compliance with the objectives of the broader research, this paper focuses on the flooring system of a building with particular reference to carpeting and the manner carpets degrade over time. To this end, a better understanding of the pattern and rate of usage (access) is an imperative. Thus, the concept of anthropy has been adopted to describe the movement behaviour of 'subjects' and to develop an understanding about the pattern and density of carpet usage. This behaviour is then expressed in mathematical forms.