Finite Model Theory of the Triguarded Fragment and Related Logics

Abstract: The Triguarded Fragment (TGF) is among the most expressive decidable fragments of first-order logic, subsuming both its two-variable and guarded fragments without equality. We show that the TGF has the finite model property (providing a tight doubly exponential bound on the model size) and hence finite satisfiability coincides with satisfiability known to be N2ExpTime-complete. Using similar constructions, we also establish 2ExpTime-completeness for finite satisfiability of the constant-free (tri)guarded fragment with transitive guards.