A Multi-Paradigm Modeling Framework for Modeling and Simulating Problem Situations

Date of Award

Summer 2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering

Program/Concentration

Modeling and Simulation

Committee Director

Saikou Diallo

Committee Member

Jose Padilla

Committee Member

John A. Sokolowski

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.E58 L96 2012

Abstract

Problem situations are problems whose specifications are not universally agreed upon making them a challenge to be modeled and simulated. Models of problem situations depart from the premise of well-defined problems, problems where stakeholders disagree, but also modelers' interpretations play a role in their design and computer implementation.

This thesis proposes a multi-paradigm modeling framework for modeling and simulating problem situations in order to explore the problem space of the problem situations and answer specific modeling questions.

The proposed framework implements the Modeling and Simulation (M&S) System Development Framework (MS-SDF), which is a methodology for modeling a problem situation while capturing the perspective of not only the stakeholders and subject matter experts but also that of the modeler. This thesis shows how this methodology captures interactions between components at different levels of resolution and scope within a given perspective. Stakeholders' and modelers' perspectives are represented by a well-defined set of assumptions and constraints. The proposed framework: captures a reference model, formally specifying what is known and assumed; identifies a modeling question, providing the purpose of the model and simulation; captures a conceptual model, providing the conceptualization of the problem situation; and provides a simulation, providing the digital computer implementation of the conceptual model. Finally, an example that implements the multi-paradigm modeling framework is applied to model and simulate the obesity epidemic within a real-life city.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/9dfk-g285

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS