Generating Preconditions from Graph Constraints by Higher Order Graph Transformation

Techniques for the verification of structural invariants in graph transformation systems typically rely on the derivation of negative application conditions that are attached to graph transformation rules in order to avoid the runtime occurrence of forbidden structural patterns in the system model. In this paper, we propose a practical approach for this derivation process, which produces the required negative application conditions by applying higher order graph transformation on the rule specifications themselves. Additionally, we integrate filtering criteria into these higher order constructs to avoid, already at an early stage, the unnecessary construction of invalid and redundant negative application conditions.