Systems Engineering for Physics Intensive Systems

Complex system requirements

Designing complex machines and verifying their system requirements is complicated and error prone. Often, system requirements are (manually) checked using simulations. The Elephant Specification Language (ESL) makes complex system requirements readable for both humans and machines but currently focuses mainly on functional specifications. This project fundamentally extends the language to interface with physics‑based simulation models, enabling more reliable verification of design feasibility using high‑quality simulations.

Coupled multi‑physics simulations

Linking physics‑based simulation models is difficult because they are rarely designed for integration into larger systems. Models often differ in variables, dimensionality, and domain definitions, making coupling a manual and time‑consuming process. Existing ontologies (“model translations”) are too broad and permissive, so models may appear compatible while still structuring data differently. By explicitly defining what each simulation code requires, produces, and computes internally, model coupling can be performed systematically using MBSE principles, for example, using Design Structure Matrices to reveal dependencies early.

Synergy and impact

This research has major societal and economic relevance: integrating physics‑based simulations with systems engineering can significantly reduce development time and cost overruns in technically complex megaprojects. This saves public funds and accelerates essential innovations such as the energy transition and the development of clean, reliable nuclear energy. The resulting methods can be widely applied across the high‑tech industry, enabling more efficient design processes.