Layout modeling and construction procedure for the arrangement of exhibition spaces in a fair

This paper tackles a subset of layout problems that is not a subject of the scientific research to date: the arrangement of the exhibition spaces in a fair. A fair is a large-scale exhibition of goods and services; for example a trade fair or a regional fair. The layout problem of fairs consists in finding an acceptable layout for the exhibitors, the visitors, and the organizer of the fair. A model for representing the layout of fairs is presented: the adjacency model. Based on the adjacency model, a construction procedure is developed that leads to the generation of alternative layout solutions. Numerical results for the layout of a real fair are reported.