DynSysMod: A Framework for Modeling Composite Dynamic Systems

Jennifer Leaf

TCSS 702: Design Project Final Report

August 17, 2007

http://faculty.washington.edu/gmobus/SystemsScience/DynSysMod-JenniferLeafFinalPaper.pdf

A system is a collection of elements that interact to function as a single, larger entity.  The field of computer simulation and modeling  oncerns the creation of abstract representations of real systems and the execution of the system models in a virtual  environment, to explain or predict the behavior of the real systems. System dynamics is the field of study that models systems whose behavior is heavily influenced by feedback (that is, the outputs of the system are recycled back into the system as inputs) and examines their behaviors over time. While many system dynamics modeling applications have been developed, they are lacking the ability to define multiple, independent types of flows through the system, and the ability to run different sections of the model at varying time resolutions. The application, DynSysMod, described in this project report, provides a description language and simulation execution engine to exercise system dynamics models of varying complexity. This tool will be especially useful in modeling energy systems and other types of systems that require multiple types of flows, and where different parts of the model should be executed at different rates. The framework developed in this project provides a solid foundation for system dynamics modeling and future expansion of modeling functionality.