Using model checking to analyze static properties of declarative models

We show how static properties of declarative models can be efficiently analyzed in a symbolic model checker; in particular, we use Cadence SMV to analyze Alloy models by translating Alloy to SMV. The computational paths of the SMV models represent interpretations of the Alloy models. The produced SMV model satisfies its LTL specifications if and only if the original Alloy model is inconsistent with respect to its finite scopes; counterexamples produced by the model checker are valid instances of the Alloy model. Our experiments show that the translation of many frequently used constructs of Alloy to SMV results in optimized models such that their analysis in SMV is much faster than in the Alloy Analyzer. Model checking is faster than SAT solving for static problems when an interpretation can be eliminated by early decisions in the model checking search.