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MRTC research projects



Dimensional Inference in Strongly Typed Modeling Languages.

Leader: Björn Lisper
Members: Björn Lisper
Former: Mikael Sandberg
Research group:Programming Languages
Keywords: Simulation, Modelling, Language Analysis, Dimensional Analysis, Dimensional Inference, Inference
Status: finished , start date: 1999
Partners: Linköping University
Funding: None
Web: Official university web page (in Swedish)

 

Overview

Modelling languages such as Modelica and gPROMS specify dynamic systems for simulation. Current implementations lack the ability to detect if physical units and dimensions are correctly specified in the models. The goal of this project is to develop and evaluate efficient methods to verify that equations use dimensions in a consistent way. This is done through a form of type inference, which in the end boils down to the problem of solving a system of linear equations.
 

Latest project publications [ Show all publications ]


Dimensional Analysis and Inference for gPROMS, Daniel Persson (external), Master Thesis, MRTC, October, 2003

Automatic Dimensional Consistency Checking for Simulation Specifications, Mikael Sandberg (former), Daniel Persson (external), Björn Lisper, SIMS 2003, p 6, Västerås, Editor(s):Erik Dahlqvist, September, 2003

Dimensional Analysis for Modelica, Mikael Sandberg (former), Björn Lisper, Proceedings, p 7, Modelica Workshop 2000, Lund, October, 2000
 

Results achieved

An inference system for dimensional analysis has been defined, as well as an inference algorithm. Heuristic methods for solving the resulting equation system efficiently have been proposed. An intermediate equation language ´EKL´ has been defined, and the inference algorithm has been implemented for EKL. A tool for dimensional analysis of gPROMS models has been developed.
 

Future work

  • Implement a translator for a subset of Modelica into EKL.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed solution methods by analyzing some realistic Modelica models.
  • Licentiate Thesis (Mikael Sandberg)

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  • Latest update: 2010.02.23