7 research outputs found
Fifty years of Hoare's Logic
We present a history of Hoare's logic.Comment: 79 pages. To appear in Formal Aspects of Computin
Interpolant tree automata and their application in Horn clause verification
This paper investigates the combination of abstract interpretation over the
domain of convex polyhedra with interpolant tree automata, in an
abstraction-refinement scheme for Horn clause verification. These techniques
have been previously applied separately, but are combined in a new way in this
paper. The role of an interpolant tree automaton is to provide a generalisation
of a spurious counterexample during refinement, capturing a possibly infinite
set of spurious counterexample traces. In our approach these traces are then
eliminated using a transformation of the Horn clauses. We compare this approach
with two other methods; one of them uses interpolant tree automata in an
algorithm for trace abstraction and refinement, while the other uses abstract
interpretation over the domain of convex polyhedra without the generalisation
step. Evaluation of the results of experiments on a number of Horn clause
verification problems indicates that the combination of interpolant tree
automaton with abstract interpretation gives some increase in the power of the
verification tool, while sometimes incurring a performance overhead.Comment: In Proceedings VPT 2016, arXiv:1607.0183
Algebraic Principles for Program Correctness Tools in Isabelle/HOL
This thesis puts forward a flexible and principled approach to the development of
construction and verification tools for imperative programs, in which the
control flow and the data level are cleanly separated. The approach is inspired
by algebraic principles and benefits from an algebraic semantics layer.
It is programmed in the Isabelle/HOL interactive theorem prover and yields
simple lightweight mathematical components as well as program construction and
verification tools that are themselves correct by construction.
First, a simple tool is implemented using Kleeene algebra with tests (KAT)
for the control flow of while-programs, which is the most compact verification
formalism for imperative programs, and their standard relational semantics for
the data level. A reference formalisation of KAT in Isabelle/HOL is then
presented, providing three different formalisations of tests. The structured
comprehensive libraries for these algebras include an algebraic account of
Hoare logic for partial correctness. Verification condition generation and
program construction rules are based on equational reasoning and supported by
powerful Isabelle tactics and automated theorem proving.
Second, the tool is expanded to support different programming features and
verification methods. A basic program construction tool is developed by adding
an operation for the specification statement and one single axiom. To include
recursive procedures, KATs are expanded further to quantales with tests,
where iteration and the specification statement can be defined explicitly.
Additionally, a nondeterministic extension supports the verification of simple
concurrent programs.
Finally, the approach is also applied to separation logic, where the
control-flow is modelled by power series with convolution as separating
conjunction. A generic construction lifts resource monoids to assertion and
predicate transformer quantales. The data level is captured by concrete
store-heap models. These are linked to the algebra by soundness proofs.
A number of examples shows the tools at work