Project Description

The COMET¹ Project Rail4Future² (R4F) aims to enable, for the first time, a fully virtual assessment of the behavior of the railway infrastructure system by deploying large-scale simulations based on hybrid-models enhanced with AI³ capabilities, real-time data input from the railway operations and visual-analytics methods.

Methodology

• Developing a R4F Platform able to handle different levels of findings, gathered through simulations, machine learning, data analysis.
• Virtual integration strategies of heterogeneous data: section information (digitalized rail network information, etc.), context information, sensor data & modelling approaches from simplified analytic calculations, comprehensive FEM⁴ simulations up to machine learning models and etc.
• Functions development (surrogate model /model reduction) for specific damage & deterioration analysis of railway sections.
• Building a common framework for railway infrastructure reliability assessment.
• Development of relevant tests, validation scenarios (KPIs⁵) on real-world data.
• Automated integration of models & information with different levels of detail (tool-chains, FMI⁶, etc.)

Impact and Effects

• Different railway infrastructure assets can be automatically and efficiently integrated.
• A continuous flow of reliable and meaningful information throughout the entire life span of different railway infrastructure subsystems can be ensured.
• The R4F Platform may also play an essential basis for the design of a virtual assessment platform as a universally applicable solution for digitized railway systems in the future.