Proof Checking for SMT-solving and its application in the Railway domain

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Satisfiability-modulo-theory (SMT) solvers are state-of-the-art tools for verifying computer programs and are applied in Industry as part of quality assurance processes. They do this in a formal approach for solving problems using a set of theories and a search algorithm to prove the correctness of software. One deficiency of SMT-solving is that there is no standardised format for SMT-proofs and therefore no standard approach to checking their validity. Conversely, SAT-solvers (which SMT-solvers are based on) are more mature and have such a standardised proof checking approach; therefore one can envisage a similar strategy for SMT-solving. The proposed PhD-project aims to build such a checker and conduct industrial case-studies, together with Siemens. Siemens is interested in applying SMT-solving to the design and verification of highly complex Railway control systems.The combination of SMT-solving and proof checking will lead to improvements of both, efficiency and robustness, and will produce a highly reliable verification solution that can replace and improve more traditional forms of verification and testing. Thus, utilizing proof-checked SMT-solving will reduce system development time and thus save resources and at the same time increase integrity.