On Relational Analysis of Algebraic Datatypes

Abstract

We present a technique that enables the use of finite modelfinding to check the satisfiability of certain formulaswhose intended models are infinite. Such formulas arisewhen using the language of sets and relations to reasonabout structured values such as algebraic datatypes. Thekey idea of our technique is to identify a natural syntacticclass of formulas in relational logic for which reasoningabout infinite structures can be reduced to reasoning aboutfinite structures. As a result, when a formula belongs tothis class, we can use existing finite model findingtools to check whether the formula holds in the desiredinfinite model.