Formal modeling and analysis of fault-tolerance properties for software

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:7053916

Chisholm, G H; Kljaich, J; Smith, B T; Wojcik, A S

This paper describes the application of modeling and analysis techniques to software that is designed to execute on the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (CSDL) Fault-Tolerant Processor, referred to as the FTP. The work reported here is part of a hardware/software modeling and analysis project. In an earlier paper we have described the hierarchical modeling technique based upon Petri Nets, the formal analysis techniques based upon the automated reasoning software ITP/LMA, and the specific application for which the software was designed. The software performs sensor validation of four independent measures (signals) from the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II operated by Argonne National Laboratory. From the validated signals, a flow trip signal is formulated for the reactor safety system. In the previous paper, we demonstrated fault-tolerance of the FTP's data exchange instructions to failures in the hardware. In this paper, we demonstrate that the same modeling and analysis techniques apply to proving the fault-tolerance of the software in the hardware, provided the validation algorithms have a certain generic structure. The approach that has been developed has provided insight into formal software specification as well as into the generation of test vectors for software and has provided a continuity between specification, design, analysis, and testing.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA); Michigan State Univ., East Lansing (USA). Dept. of Computer Science
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 7053916
• Report Number(s): CONF-870399-1; ON: DE87007006
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
990220* -- Computers
Computerized Models
& Computer Programs-- (1987-1989)
ALGORITHMS
COMPUTERS
DIGITAL COMPUTERS
FAULT TOLERANT COMPUTERS
MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
PERFORMANCE TESTING
SPECIFICATIONS
TESTING