{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7139072049","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tse.2026.3675285","title":"How Composite Metamorphic Relations Enhance Test Effectiveness of DNN Testing: An\u00a0Empirical\u00a0Study","display_name":"How Composite Metamorphic Relations Enhance Test Effectiveness of DNN Testing: An\u00a0Empirical\u00a0Study","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-03-18","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7139072049","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tse.2026.3675285"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/tse.2026.3675285","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tse.2026.3675285","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S8351582","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering","issn_l":"0098-5589","issn":["0098-5589","1939-3520","2326-3881"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320439","host_organization_name":"IEEE Computer Society","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320439","https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["IEEE Computer Society","Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5024345043","display_name":"Huayao Wu","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1383-5421"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I881766915","display_name":"Nanjing University","ror":"https://ror.org/01rxvg760","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Huayao Wu","raw_affiliation_strings":["State Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology, School of Computer Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1383-5421","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"State Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology, School of Computer Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5130204362","display_name":"Peng Wang","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I881766915","display_name":"Nanjing University","ror":"https://ror.org/01rxvg760","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Peng Wang","raw_affiliation_strings":["State Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology, School of Computer Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9401-1777","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"State Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology, School of Computer Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5108876593","display_name":"Shengyou Hu","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I881766915","display_name":"Nanjing University","ror":"https://ror.org/01rxvg760","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Shengyou Hu","raw_affiliation_strings":["State Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology, School of Computer Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9995-1496","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"State Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology, School of Computer Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5031025947","display_name":"Xintao Niu","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5786-0894"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I881766915","display_name":"Nanjing University","ror":"https://ror.org/01rxvg760","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Xintao Niu","raw_affiliation_strings":["State Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology, School of Computer Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5786-0894","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"State Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology, School of Computer Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5075573151","display_name":"Changhai Nie","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9575-1012"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I881766915","display_name":"Nanjing University","ror":"https://ror.org/01rxvg760","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Changhai Nie","raw_affiliation_strings":["State Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology, School of Computer Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9575-1012","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"State Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology, School of Computer Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5035107113","display_name":"Tsong Yueh Chen","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3578-0994"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I57093077","display_name":"Swinburne University of Technology","ror":"https://ror.org/031rekg67","country_code":"AU","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I57093077"]}],"countries":["AU"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Tsong Yueh Chen","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Computing Technologies, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3578-0994","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Computing Technologies, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I57093077"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":2,"institutions_distinct_count":2,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.285299,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":"52","issue":"4","first_page":"1617","last_page":"1636"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10743","display_name":"Software Testing and Debugging Techniques","score":0.4498000144958496,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1712","display_name":"Software"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10743","display_name":"Software Testing and Debugging Techniques","score":0.4498000144958496,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1712","display_name":"Software"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11032","display_name":"VLSI and Analog Circuit Testing","score":0.17880000174045563,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1708","display_name":"Hardware and Architecture"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11689","display_name":"Adversarial Robustness in Machine Learning","score":0.08380000293254852,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/inference","display_name":"Inference","score":0.5903000235557556},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/empirical-research","display_name":"Empirical research","score":0.5526999831199646},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/set","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","score":0.5497000217437744},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/test","display_name":"Test (biology)","score":0.4700999855995178},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/complement","display_name":"Complement (music)","score":0.4472000002861023},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/oracle","display_name":"Oracle","score":0.43220001459121704},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/class","display_name":"Class (philosophy)","score":0.4154999852180481},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/statistical-hypothesis-testing","display_name":"Statistical hypothesis testing","score":0.3790999948978424},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/design-of-experiments","display_name":"Design of experiments","score":0.3515999913215637}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.7437999844551086},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776214188","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q408386","display_name":"Inference","level":2,"score":0.5903000235557556},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C120936955","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2155640","display_name":"Empirical research","level":2,"score":0.5526999831199646},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177264268","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1514741","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","level":2,"score":0.5497000217437744},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.5184000134468079},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777267654","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3519023","display_name":"Test (biology)","level":2,"score":0.4700999855995178},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C112313634","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7886648","display_name":"Complement (music)","level":5,"score":0.4472000002861023},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.43380001187324524},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C55166926","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2892946","display_name":"Oracle","level":2,"score":0.43220001459121704},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777212361","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5127848","display_name":"Class (philosophy)","level":2,"score":0.4154999852180481},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C87007009","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q210832","display_name":"Statistical hypothesis testing","level":2,"score":0.3790999948978424},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C34559072","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2334061","display_name":"Design of experiments","level":2,"score":0.3515999913215637},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41608201","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q980509","display_name":"Embedding","level":2,"score":0.3393000066280365},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C168167062","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1117970","display_name":"Component (thermodynamics)","level":2,"score":0.33239999413490295},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C169903167","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3985153","display_name":"Test set","level":2,"score":0.3221000134944916},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C149629883","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q660926","display_name":"Fraction (chemistry)","level":2,"score":0.32030001282691956},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2164484","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5170150","display_name":"Core (optical fiber)","level":2,"score":0.3111000061035156},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777210771","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4927124","display_name":"Block (permutation group theory)","level":2,"score":0.301800012588501},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778572836","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q380933","display_name":"Space (punctuation)","level":2,"score":0.3012000024318695},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C50644808","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192776","display_name":"Artificial neural network","level":2,"score":0.28439998626708984},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77618280","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1155772","display_name":"Scheme (mathematics)","level":2,"score":0.2766999900341034},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C152745839","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5438153","display_name":"Fault detection and isolation","level":3,"score":0.2727000117301941},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C166052673","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83021","display_name":"Empirical evidence","level":2,"score":0.2700999975204468},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C134261354","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q938438","display_name":"Statistical inference","level":2,"score":0.26440000534057617},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C204321447","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30642","display_name":"Natural language processing","level":1,"score":0.2630999982357025}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1109/tse.2026.3675285","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tse.2026.3675285","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S8351582","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering","issn_l":"0098-5589","issn":["0098-5589","1939-3520","2326-3881"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320439","host_organization_name":"IEEE Computer Society","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320439","https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["IEEE Computer Society","Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/G2569541551","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"62472209","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320321001","funder_display_name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/G3154338032","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"92582106","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320321001","funder_display_name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/G4968388531","display_name":null,"funder_award_id":"BE2023025-2","funder_id":"https://openalex.org/F4320327777","funder_display_name":"Jiangsu Provincial Key Research and Development Program"}],"funders":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320321001","display_name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","ror":"https://ror.org/01h0zpd94"},{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320327777","display_name":"Jiangsu Provincial Key Research and Development Program","ror":null}],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Metamorphic":[0,23,52],"Testing":[1],"(MT)":[2],"is":[3,19,71,106],"a":[4,20,122],"powerful":[5],"technique":[6],"to":[7,43,48,73,166,171,179,188,206,230],"alleviate":[8],"the":[9,56,60,65,86,92,147,174,190,196,204],"test":[10,32,94,137,232],"oracle":[11],"problem":[12],"of":[13,22,58,62,68,96,124,133,149,193,200],"DNN":[14,78,102,153,184],"testing.":[15,103],"At":[16],"its":[17],"core":[18],"set":[21],"Relations":[24,53],"(MRs),":[25],"which":[26,121,207],"indicate":[27],"necessary":[28],"properties":[29],"that":[30,90,176,226],"multiple":[31,45],"inputs":[33],"and":[34,114,127,135,141,161],"their":[35,181],"outputs":[36],"should":[37],"satisfy.":[38],"Recently,":[39],"researchers":[40],"have":[41],"proposed":[42],"compose":[44],"individual":[46,99,168],"MRs":[47,100,194,209,219],"create":[49,224],"new":[50],"Composite":[51],"(CMRs),":[54],"in":[55,101,152,183,195,220],"hope":[57],"enhancing":[59],"cost-effectiveness":[61],"MT.":[63],"However,":[64],"potential":[66],"benefit":[67],"such":[69],"compositions":[70],"yet":[72],"be":[74],"systematically":[75],"explored":[76],"for":[77,216],"based":[79,119],"systems.":[80],"In":[81],"this":[82],"paper,":[83],"we":[84,186,222],"present":[85],"first":[87],"empirical":[88],"study":[89],"investigates":[91],"relative":[93],"effectiveness":[95,164],"CMRs":[97,126,151,178,225],"over":[98],"Our":[104],"experiment":[105],"performed":[107],"under":[108],"five":[109],"popular":[110],"image":[111],"recognition":[112],"models":[113],"seven":[115],"representative":[116],"component":[117],"MRs,":[118],"on":[120],"total":[123],"3,612":[125],"more":[128],"than":[129],"200":[130],"million":[131],"pairs":[132],"source":[134],"follow-up":[136],"images":[138],"are":[139,227],"generated":[140],"exercised.":[142],"The":[143],"experimental":[144],"results":[145],"highlight":[146],"advantages":[148],"employing":[150],"testing,":[154,185],"as":[155],"they":[156],"generally":[157],"exhibit":[158],"superior":[159],"failure":[160],"fault":[162],"revelation":[163],"compared":[165],"any":[167],"MR.":[169],"Moreover,":[170],"further":[172],"illuminate":[173],"conditions":[175],"allow":[177],"maximise":[180],"performance":[182],"propose":[187],"analyse":[189],"geometric":[191],"relationships":[192],"latent":[197],"embedding":[198],"space":[199],"DNNs,":[201],"thereby":[202],"quantifying":[203],"extent":[205],"different":[208],"complement":[210],"each":[211],"other.":[212],"Accordingly,":[213],"by":[214],"opting":[215],"highly":[217],"complementary":[218],"composition,":[221],"can":[223],"most":[228],"likely":[229],"enhance":[231],"effectiveness.":[233]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-04-21T06:05:55.347736","created_date":"2026-03-20T00:00:00"}