Quantifying fire model evaluation using functional analysis

Comparisons of predictive fire models with each other or with experimental data have been largely qualitative. By treating these time series curves as infinite-dimensional vectors, a branch of mathematics called functional analysis defines geometrically meaningful operations on the curves. This allows lengths, angles, and distance between two arbitrary curves to be defined and quantified. An introduction to the theory and tools provided by functional analysis is presented. Examples of the application of these tools to fire model evaluation are presented. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.