Systems-driven engineering of complex systems: Behavioral RFAD modeling

In this paper, we introduce a novel, formal model basis for guiding the engineering of complex systems, especially in early architecture and concept design phases. This model basis is a formal extension of an existing multi-view modeling framework for artifact representation. The existing modeling framework is called RFAD after its four central views: requirements (R), functional intent (F), abstract component structure (A), and discipline-specific components (D). We equip each view with formal behavioral models for enabling advanced use cases having the potential of tangibly speeding up the design cycle. These use cases are 1) requirement consistency checking, 2) design space exploration, 3) design verification by means of simulations, 4) formal design verification, and 5) synthesis of control algorithms. We believe that these use cases have significant potential for improving the adequacy of design decisions made in early phases. Today, simulation models are typically created only after considerable design refinement. Due to space limitations, we limit ourselves to a use case example in design space exploration.