scholarly journals A Conceptual Framework for Consistency Management in Model-Based Systems Engineering

Author(s):  
Sebastian J. I. Herzig ◽  
Ahsan Qamar ◽  
Axel Reichwein ◽  
Christiaan J. J. Paredis

Developing complex engineering systems requires the consolidation of models from a variety of domains such as economics, mechanics and software engineering. These models are typically created using differing formalisms and by stakeholders that have varying views on the same problem statement. The challenging question is: what is needed to make sure that all of these different models remain consistent during the design process? A review of the related literature reveals that this is still an open challenge and has not yet been investigated at a fundamental level within the context of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE). Therefore, this paper specifically focuses on examining the fundamentals of consistency management. We show that some inconsistencies cannot be detected and come to the conclusion that it is impossible to say whether or not a system is fully consistent. In this paper, we first introduce a mathematical foundation to define consistency in a formal manner. A decision-based approach to design is then studied and applied to the development of a real-world example. The research reveals several distinct types of inconsistencies that can occur during the design and development of a system. We show that these inconsistencies can be further classified into two groups: internal and external consistency. From these insights, the ontology of inconsistencies is constructed. Finally, requirements for possible tool support and methods to identify and manage specific types of consistency issues are proposed.

Author(s):  
Yun Ye ◽  
Marija Jankovic ◽  
Jean-Claude Bocquet

Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) currently lacks a formalized way of managing modeling consistency. This paper presents a new methodology for semantic consistency management in MBSE. At its core, a matrix structure which extends the Multiple Domain Matrix (MDM) and Engineering Systems Matrix (ESM) is used to organize semantic relations between modeling elements created by using various modeling languages and tools, and to represent how they change over time. In addition, this paper describes how the new matrix can be automatically maintained by a plug-in module which manages the bidirectional information transformation between the model and the matrix. We show that the utilization of our methodology has potential in avoiding ambiguous namings in models, enhancing the traceability of modeling elements as well as reducing manual work. A real world engineering use case with air-conditioning is used to show the utilization of our methodology.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amro M. Farid ◽  
Dakota J. Thompson ◽  
Wester Schoonenberg

Abstract Recently, hetero-functional graph theory (HFGT) has developed as a means to mathematically model the structure of large-scale complex flexible engineering systems. It does so by fusing concepts from network science and model-based systems engineering (MBSE). For the former, it utilizes multiple graph-based data structures to support a matrix-based quantitative analysis. For the latter, HFGT inherits the heterogeneity of conceptual and ontological constructs found in model-based systems engineering including system form, system function, and system concept. These diverse conceptual constructs indicate multi-dimensional rather than two-dimensional relationships. This paper provides the first tensor-based treatment of hetero-functional graph theory. In particular, it addresses the “system concept” and the hetero-functional adjacency matrix from the perspective of tensors and introduces the hetero-functional incidence tensor as a new data structure. The tensor-based formulation described in this work makes a stronger tie between HFGT and its ontological foundations in MBSE. Finally, the tensor-based formulation facilitates several analytical results that provide an understanding of the relationships between HFGT and multi-layer networks.


Improving the efficiency of life cycle management of capital construction projects using information modeling technologies is one of the important tasks of the construction industry. The paper presents an analysis of accumulated domestic practices, including the legal and regulatory framework, assessing the effectiveness of managing the implementation of investment construction projects and of complex and serial capital construction projects, as well as the life cycle management of especially dangerous technically complex and unique capital construction projects using information modeling technologies, especially capital construction projects, as well as their supporting and using systems, primarily in the nuclear and transport sectors. A review of modern approaches to assessing the effectiveness of life cycle management systems of complex engineering systems in relation to capital construction projects is carried out. The presented material will make it possible to formulate the basic principles and prospects of applying approaches to assessing the effectiveness of the life cycle management system of a capital construction project using information modeling technologies.


Konstruktion ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 76-83
Author(s):  
Jens Pottebaum ◽  
Iris Gräßler

Inhalt Unscharfe Anforderungen, verschiedene Lösungs-alternativen oder eingeschränkt gültige Simulationsmodelle sind Beispiele für inhärente Unsicherheit in der Produktentwicklung. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird ein modellbasierter Ansatz vorgestellt, der das industriell etablierte Denken in Sicherheitsfaktoren um qualitative Aspekte ergänzt. Modelle der Informationsqualität helfen, die Unsicherheit von Ent- wicklungsartefakten beschreibend zu charakterisieren. Mittels semantischer Technologien wird Unsicherheit so wirklich handhabbar – nicht im Sinne einer Berechnung, sondern im Sinne einer qualitativen Interpretation. Dadurch entsteht wertvolles Wissen für die iterative Anforderungsanalyse, die Bewertung alternativer System-Architekturen oder für die Rekonfiguration von Simulationen.


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