SAT vs. Translation Based decision procedures for modal logics: a comparative evaluation

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper follows on previous papers which present and evaluate various decision procedures for modal logics. We consider new test sets and systems that have been recently proposed in the literature. This new experimental analysis confirm previous experimental results in showing that SAT based decision procedures, i.e., the procedures built on top of decision procedures for propositional satisfiability, are more efficient than tableau based decision procedures. They also confirm previous evidence of an easy-hard-easy pattern in the satisfiability curve for modal K. Finally, on these tests, SAT based decision procedures are also more efficient than the recently proposed decision procedures based on translation methods. These results contradict some of the claims presented in previous papers by other authors.