Interactive Modeling for Batch Simulation of Engineering Systems: A Constraint Satisfaction Problem

Abstract

We have presented here an algorithm CPRAO for doing constraint processing using relational algebraic operators. Van Beek and others have in- vestigated such constraint processing in the relational algebraic framework, for quite some time, producing some unique results. Apart from providing new theoretical angles, the framework also provides the opportunity to use the ex- isting efficient implementations of relational database management systems as the underlying data structures for any relevant algorithm. Our algorithm here enhances that framework. The algorithm is quite general in its current form. Weak heuristics (like forward checking) developed within the CSP area could be plugged in this algorithm. The algorithm is developed here is targeted toward a component-oriented modeling problem that we are currently working on, namely, the problem of interactive modeling for batch-simulation of engineering systems (IMBSES). However, it could be adopted for many other CSP problems as well. The article here discusses the algorithm and many aspects of the prob- lem we are addressing.