Formal modeling of certification processes

This paper presents an approach for the formal modeling of certification processes using automatic reasoning in order to optimize the development process and to support business decision making while ensuring compliance with certification standards. The approach consists of combining formal models of the certification standard (what has to be satisfied), and models of the actual development process (how it is satisfied). A contract-based language is used to model the certification process. A SMT solver (Satisfiability Modulo Theories) is used to verify whether the certification is satisfied and to find optimization possibilities. The proposed approach is demonstrated using a case study to model a subset of the certification of a real aircraft cooling system certified under DO-178C. It is anticipated that modeling of the certification standards demonstrated in this case study would help meet the current challenge of creating new standards to certify new technologies.