Risk-based automated system for prediction of fire safety in railway facilities

Aim.The development of the Russian railway industry is associated with the growing number of operated buildings, rolling stock, more complex business processes of infrastructure maintenance and client service. In this context, JSC Russian Railways (JSC RZD) needs to manage the fire safety of more than ten thousand units of traction rolling stock and hundreds of buildings, where potential fires may cause harm to passengers or interruption of service. Fire safety management of both fixed and mobile railway facilities is performed at all lifecycle stages from design to disposal. Implementing the processes of fire safety diagnostics and prediction requires the development of a man-machine system whose core would be an automated fire risk control system (ACS) that allows – basedon the fire risk prediction – makingdecisions regarding the requirement for the repairs, replacement or maintenance of railway facilities and fire safety systems. 

Methods.The methods of the automatic control theory, expert assessment were used. The study aimed to develop an algorithm of automated auditing of railway facilities fire safety. 

Results.It is established that the majority fire safety control systems use gas concentration sensors to detect symptoms of hazard before flame development. This approach is hardly effective in terms of fire safety of railway facilities. For railway facilities whose actual state has an effect on the probability of fire a fire audit algorithm was developed that is based on the existing service and repair system, as well as statistical data on the states of railway facilities that precede fire. In order to enable systematic risk management measures in a large number of railway facilities, the paper proposes the structure of an automated fire risks management system that includes a fire safety management center and a mobile hardware and software system for fire safety auditing. 

Conclusions. It shows the importance of developing a proactive fire safety management system based on fire risk assessment. It was identified that information on the states preceding fires in railway facilities can be obtained from both the existing automated failure reporting and risk assessment systems and the diagnostic results of the actual state of objects as part of scheduled preventive maintenance. A method of automated assessment of fire hazard is proposed for systematic management of fire risks in many railway facilities.

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