True Parallel Graph Transformations: an Algebraic Approach Based on Weak Spans

Abstract: We address the problem of defining graph transformations by the simultaneous application of direct transformations even when these cannot be applied independently of each other. An algebraic approach is adopted, with production rules of the form $L\xleftarrow{l}K \xleftarrow{i} I \xrightarrow{r} R$, called weak spans. A parallel coherent transformation is introduced and shown to be a conservative extension of the interleaving semantics of parallel independent direct transformations. A categorical construction of finitely attributed structures is proposed, in which parallel coherent transformations can be built in a natural way. These notions are introduced and illustrated on detailed examples.