Metamorphic Testing for Hybrid Simulation Validation

Abstract

Proper validation of a simulation model is essential for confidence in its accuracy and credibility. However, many of the most effective approaches for simulation validation require access to data that may be unavailable. Metamorphic Testing (MT), an approach from traditional software testing, has been shown to be useful for verification of simulation software in similar situations. Recent research shows that MT can be applied to the validation of agent based and discrete event simulation models as well. In this paper we build on that work and show how MT can be applied to hybrid simulation models. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach by applying it on a case study of helping behavior among servers in a restaurant.