Co-simulation Mechanism as Digital Twins Platform

Complex heterogeneous systems, such as vessels, may require components from several different domains, perhaps developed in separate domain-spcific tools. Co-simulation refers to a simulation practice, where different self-contained sub-systems are coupled to realize a more complex system. Each sub-system is a simulator that can be characterized as a black-box capable of exhibiting behavior, consuming inputs, and producing outputs [131]. Co-simulation is often used in engineering and science applications where it is necessary to model complex systems with multiple interacting components. Further, it can be particularly useful in situations where one model is not capable of representing the entire system, or where a monolithic model would be deemed too computationally expensive to run. Key properties affiliated with co-simulation are illustrated in Fig. 3.1.