A Framework for Managing Conceptual Traceability in Simulation Experiments

Repeatability and replicability are foundational principles of the scientific method, yet they remain difficult to achieve for contemporary simulation-based experiments. Existing solutions provide limited support for capturing precise semantics, design rationale, and conceptual provenance of experimental artefacts. This paper presents an ontological framework for managing conceptual and intentional traceability in simulation experiments. The framework integrates experimental concepts with various standard ontologies to provide precise, queryable semantics across experiment artefacts. It supports recording experiments at multiple levels of abstraction, linking models and executions to their underlying intent and design decisions. A proof-of-concept implementation demonstrates how the framework enables structured experiment documentation, knowledge-graph–based exploration, and export of shareable artefacts with varying levels of traceability.