Heuristic method to check the realisability of a graph into a rectangular plan

Abstract

The problem of mapping a graph into rectangles so that they cover a rectangular plan is considered. The graph may represent the basic scheme of a house or of a building, in which different design requirements are collected. To cope with this problem the authors have chosen a three steps approach: determining whether a graph can be mapped in this way (first step); automatically generating some of its realisations (second step); then how a given plan can be reduced to the rectangular one is analysed (third step).

A heuristic approach to the general solution of the first step is proposed. It is a problem with a practical application in areas such as architectural design or compacting of electronic circuits, to which no general solution has been found in the specialised bibliography.