Compositional transient reachability analysis for agent-based simulations

Abstract. Even though agent-based simulations have been applied successfully to various realworld projects, there is still much reluctance to accept them to the same degree as more traditional, equation-based techniques. Their inherent complexity due to nonlinear dynamics, a high level of heterogeneity and a vast parameter and state space are just some of the properties that make them difficult to understand, to verify and to validate. We analyse the particular characteristics of agent-based simulations and give recommendations for a model checking-based verification process. Furthermore, we sketch a preliminary verification approach which is based on an iterative, compositional and non-exhaustive model construction process and transient reachability analysis