A specification language to assist in analysis of discrete event simulation models

ABSTRACT

Effective development environments for discrete event simulation models should reduce development costs and improve model performance. A model specification language used in a model development environment is defined. This approach is intended to reduce modeling costs by interposing an intermediate form between a conceptual model (the model as it exists in the mind of the modeler) and an executable representation of that model. As a model specification is constructed, the incomplete specification can be analyzed to detect some types of errors and to provide some types of model documentation. The primitives used in this specification language, called a condition specification (CS), are carefully defined. A specification for the classical patrolling repairman model is used to illustrate this language. Some possible diagnostics and some untestable model specification properties, based on such a representation, are summarized.

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INDEX TERMS

Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.1 Requirements/Specifications
          Subjects: Methodologies (e.g., object-oriented, structured); Languages

  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.6 SIMULATION AND MODELING

General Terms:
Design, Languages