Characterizing conflicts between rule application and rule evolution in graph transformation systems

Abstract

Systems and models usually evolve with time, triggering the question of how the introduced modifications impact their original behavior. For rule-based models such as graph transformation systems, model evolution may be represented by means of a collection of structural modifications in individual transformation rules. In this work we introduce the notion of inter-level conflict between rule modification and rule application, characterizing the situations where the evolution disables a transition of the original system. We discuss the confluence of the evolution with respect to individual rewritings, and we also propose how the notion of inter-level conflict can be used to help the modeler to foresee the effects of model evolution.