research-article

Building traceable Event-B models from requirements

Authors:

Eman Alkhammash,

Michael Butler,

Asieh Salehi Fathabadi,

Corina CîrsteaAuthors Info & Claims

Science of Computer Programming, Volume 111, Issue P2

Pages 318 - 338

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scico.2015.06.002

Published: 01 November 2015 Publication History

Abstract

Bridging the gap between informal requirements and formal specifications is a key challenge in systems engineering. Constructing appropriate abstractions in formal models requires skill and managing the complexity of the relationships between requirements and formal models can be difficult. In this paper we present an approach that aims to address the twin challenges of finding appropriate abstractions and managing traceability between requirements and models. Our approach is based on the use of semi-formal structures to bridge the gap between requirements and Event-B models and retain traceability to requirements in Event-B models. In the stepwise refinement approach, design details are gradually introduced into formal models. Stepwise refinement allows each requirement to be introduced at the most appropriate stage in the development. Our approach makes use of the UML-B and Event Refinement Structures (ERS) approaches. UML-B provides UML graphical notation that enables the development of data structures for Event-B models, while the ERS approach provides a graphical notation to illustrate event refinement structures and assists in the organisation of refinement levels. The ERS approach also combines several constructor patterns to manage control flows in Event-B. The intent of this paper is to harness the benefits of the UML-B and ERS approaches to facilitate constructing Event-B models from requirements and provide traceability between requirements and Event-B models. We present an approach for incrementally constructing a formal model from informal requirements.The approach aims to retaining traceability to requirements in models.We have chosen Event-B to develop the case studies because Event-B is a stepwise formal method which has a platform with various plugins called Rodin.UML-B is used to enable the development of an Event-B formal model, ERS is used to structure refinements.To sum up, our approach provides traceability between requirements and the Event-B model and help to construct the Event-B models from requirements.

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Cited By

Karmakar R(2024)A graphical tool for formal verification using Event-B modelingMultimedia Tools and Applications10.1007/s11042-023-15993-883:4(10899-10923)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s11042-023-15993-8
Catano N(2023)Program Synthesis for Cyber-ResilienceIEEE Transactions on Software Engineering10.1109/TSE.2022.316867249:3(962-972)Online publication date: 1-Mar-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1109/TSE.2022.3168672
Alkhammash E(2020)Formal modelling of OWL ontologies-based requirements for the development of safe and secure smart city systemsSoft Computing - A Fusion of Foundations, Methodologies and Applications10.1007/s00500-020-04688-z24:15(11095-11108)Online publication date: 1-Aug-2020
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s00500-020-04688-z
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Published In

cover image Science of Computer Programming

Science of Computer Programming Volume 111, Issue P2

November 2015

149 pages

ISSN:0167-6423

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Publisher

Elsevier North-Holland, Inc.

United States

Publication History

Published: 01 November 2015

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Cited By

Karmakar R(2024)A graphical tool for formal verification using Event-B modelingMultimedia Tools and Applications10.1007/s11042-023-15993-883:4(10899-10923)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s11042-023-15993-8
Catano N(2023)Program Synthesis for Cyber-ResilienceIEEE Transactions on Software Engineering10.1109/TSE.2022.316867249:3(962-972)Online publication date: 1-Mar-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1109/TSE.2022.3168672
Alkhammash E(2020)Formal modelling of OWL ontologies-based requirements for the development of safe and secure smart city systemsSoft Computing - A Fusion of Foundations, Methodologies and Applications10.1007/s00500-020-04688-z24:15(11095-11108)Online publication date: 1-Aug-2020
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s00500-020-04688-z
Siqueira Fde Sousa TSilva PGnesi SPlat NMelgratti H(2017)Using BDD and SBVR to refine business goals into an event-B modelProceedings of the 5th International FME Workshop on Formal Methods in Software Engineering10.5555/3101290.3101300(31-36)Online publication date: 20-May-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/3101290.3101300

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