Trace Semantics and Algebraic Laws for MCA ARMv8 Architecture Based on UTP

  • Lili Xiao
  • , Huibiao Zhu*
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hardware architectures like x86 and ARM provide relaxed memory models for efficiency reasons. The revised ARMv8 architecture is multi-copy atomic (MCA), which brings relaxed-memory effects through thread-local out-of-order, speculative execution and thread-local buffering. In this paper, we investigate the trace semantics for the MCA ARMv8 architecture, acting in the denotational semantics style based on Unifying Theories of Programming (UTP). In order to present all the valid execution results including reorderings of any program under ARMv8, a trace expressed as a sequence of snapshots is introduced, and it relies heavily on various dependencies. The snapshots record the change of variables of different types of actions. We also study the algebraic laws for MCA ARMv8, including a set of sequential and parallel expansion laws. The concept of head normal form is explored for each program, and every program is described in the form of guarded choice which can model the execution of a program with reorderings. Therefore, the linearizability for ARMv8 is supported.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationDependable Software Engineering. Theories, Tools, and Applications - 7th International Symposium, SETTA 2021, Proceedings
EditorsShengchao Qin, Jim Woodcock, Wenhui Zhang
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages81-101
Number of pages21
ISBN (Print)9783030912642
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021
Event7th International Symposium on Dependable Software Engineering: Theories, Tools, and Applications, SETTA 2021 - Beijing, China
Duration: 25 Nov 202127 Nov 2021

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume13071 LNCS
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Conference

Conference7th International Symposium on Dependable Software Engineering: Theories, Tools, and Applications, SETTA 2021
Country/TerritoryChina
CityBeijing
Period25/11/2127/11/21

Keywords

  • Algebraic laws
  • MCA ARMv8 architecture
  • Relaxed memory model
  • Trace semantics
  • Unifying Theories of Programming (UTP)

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