Visualisation of socio-spatial isolation based on human activity patterns and social networks in space-time

Few previous studies of socio-spatial isolation have explored both its spatial and temporal dimensions. This study proposes and implemented four visual methods for analysing socio-spatial isolation using graphic representation of people's social networks and activity patterns in space and time: 3D space-time paths, time windows, 3D activity density surfaces, and ring-based visualisation of social networks. These visualisations utilise both activity-travel data and social network information. The data used were collected through a specially designed activity-travel diary survey with a sample of Koreans in the Columbus metropolitan area in Ohio (USA). The results show that these visualisations can considerably enhance our understanding of the relationships between people's activities in space-time and their social interactions. Combining social network analysis with activity pattern analysis can lead to a better understanding of socio-spatial isolation.