System Modeling and Traceability Applications of the Higraph Formalism

Abstract

One of the most important tools for a systems engineer is their system model. From this model, engineering decisions can be made without costly integration, fabrication, or installations. Existing system modeling languages used to create the system model are detailed and comprehensive, but lack a true ability to unify the system model by showing all relationships among all components in the model. Higraphs, a type of mathematical graph, allow systems engineers to not only represent all required information in a system model, but to formally show all relationships in the model through hierarchies, edges, and orthogonalities. With a higraph system model, all relationships between system requirements, components, and behaviors are formalized allowing for a "smart" model that can be queried for custom sets of information that, when presented to the systems engineer, will aid in engineering decisions.