Intelligent railway signaling failure alert system

Abstract

One of the key factor for the development of the country is the efficiency of the transport system. In Sri Lanka, 20 percent of the passengers travel by the train. The demand for the rail transportation systems have been increased by the increment of rail transportation facilities and the population. Recently rail transport was introduced to Sri Lanka in 1864 to transport goods, but currently popular for the passenger transportation. The railway signaling system is used to cater the traffic issues by utilizing the limited resources such as trains and tracks. The loss due to the failure of the signal system is substantial, as this result in the loss of human lives and human hours in addition to the loss of damages to properties. For the reliable signaling system main input is train detection. Currently Sri Lanka Railway hasn’t got a proper Failure diagnosis and maintenance reporting system. Therefore, it is essential to have a system to ensure that railway signals are reliable and safe. The research is based on an intelligent fault detection method on railway signal color light signals. Before commencing the research, several literature surveys had been done on railway signalling and railway fault diagnosis methods, railway signal maintenance and signal fault detecting mechanism. Moreover attention was placed on other industrial intelligent fault diagnosis methods. A brief go through on signal aspect circuits, circuit relays and relay theories, would help find out the most suitable method for fault detection. To carry on the research many color light signals inputs, outputs were obtained and surveys were done on different signal lamps, signal poles, signal aspect faults and faulty ranges in each red, amber, green circuits were identified. Mainly research was done by a case study, from the three signal aspect pole 263 where located in Colombo- Fort yard. All the data of case study 263, three signal aspect pole’s data was recorded manually and the current and voltage reading fault ranges in each red , amber, green circuit’s electric

components were observed. Considering observed data and survey data model is implemented for the case study. The Model is implemented with three input subsystems and six outputs. The proposed model uses a fuzzy system and the model is design by MATLAB Simulink system. Fuzzy system is developed using the “mamdani” technique. The system is tested with actual readings for different faulty modes and justified that model output result and actual readings are accurate. The final develop model shows that the proposed method has the capacity to find faults in each Red, Amber and Green color light circuits.