A Family of Simulation Criteria to Guide DEVS Models Validation Rigorously, Systematically and Semi-Automatically
This work addresses validation challenges for engineers using DEVS models, but it is incremental as it builds on existing simulation-based methods.
The paper tackles the problem of selecting simulation scenarios for DEVS model validation, which is typically done based on intuition, by introducing a family of criteria to guide simulations systematically and semi-automatically, increasing confidence in the model.
The most common method to validate a DEVS model against the requirements is to simulate it several times under different conditions, with some simulation tool. The behavior of the model is compared with what the system is supposed to do. The number of different scenarios to simulate is usually infinite, therefore, selecting them becomes a crucial task. This selection, actually, is made following the experience or intuition of an engineer. Here we present a family of criteria to conduct DEVS model simulations in a disciplined way and covering the most significant simulations to increase the confidence on the model. This is achieved by analyzing the mathematical representation of the DEVS model and, thus, part of the validation process can be automatized.