Some time back I tried to understand this PCA algorithm and I wanted to make a note about eigen vectors and eigen values.
That document stated that the purpose of EVs is to convert a model of the large sized modelto a very small sized model.
For example, instead of constructing first the full sized bridge and then carrying out experiments and tests on it, it is possible to use EVs to create a very small sized bridge where all the factors/quantities will be reduced by the same margin and moreover the actual result of tests and stress related tests carried out on it can be calculated and enlarged appropriately as needed for the original model.
 In a way EVs help to create abstracts of the original
To me, this explaination had profound meaning to what I was trying to do !! Hope it helps you too  !

Some time back I tried to understand this PCA algorithm and I wanted to make a note about eigen vectors and eigen values. That document stated that the purpose of EVs is to convert a model of the large sized model to a very small sized model.

For example, instead of constructing first the full sized bridge and then carrying out experiments and tests on it, it is possible to use EVs to create a very small sized bridge where all the factors/quantities will be reduced by the same margin and moreover the actual result of tests and stress related tests carried out on it can be calculated and enlarged appropriately as needed for the original model. In a way EVs help to create abstracts of the original.

To me, this explaination had profound meaning to what I was trying to do! Hope it helps you too!