Simulation of Retroreflective Materials in a Physically Based Rendering (PBR) Engine

Modeling retroreflective material in a three-dimensional computer modeling and Physically Based Rendering (PBR) engine is extremely difficult without fully understanding the physics behind how the light rays interact and behave with the retroreflective materials. Without the proper engineering and physics understanding, incorrect, inaccurate and unfair animations can be created that attempt to show the visibility of retroreflective materials. In this paper we will discuss the engineering and physics of retroreflective materials and how light interacts with these materials. We will also describe how to incorporate the engineering and science of retroreflective materials into a PBR engine to create a fair and accurate light simulation displaying the visibility of the retroreflective materials.