An overview of the ETCS braking curves

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to present an overview of the ETCS braking curves according to the European specifications. Though the ETCS specifications lay down the basic principles for the braking curves and the associated information displayed to the driver, but there is still no harmonized method to compute them. In the absence of any requirement, the algorithms of the ETCS on-board suppliers lead to different braking distances for a given type of rolling stock. For cross border trains, the differences through national rules require the implementation in the ETCS on-board of several national braking curves. The main features of the braking curves have been reviewed in the article, including the following main aspects: basic principle to ensure of the train movement safety, the purpose and main types of ETCS braking curves, the input parameters for braking curve calculation, construction of the emergency brake deceleration curve, and guaranteed emergency brake deceleration. The basic principle to ensure the train movement safety is based on their separation in fixed block distance (for a conventional signalling system) or in moving block-sections (for ERTMS/ETCS level 3). To ensure these principles the ETCS onboard computer must predict the decrease of the train speed in the future, from a mathematical model of the train braking dynamics and of the track characteristics ahead. This prediction of the speed decrease versus distance is called a braking curve. The minimum interval between trains under automatic train protection system is defined by minimum movement authority that comprises odometer tolerance, driver allowance, ATP reaction times, brake application time. Braking curve predict of the train speed decrease versus distance by the ERTMS/ETCS on-board equipment, from a mathematical model of the train braking dynamics and the track characteristics ahead. ETCS supervises both the position and speed of the train to ensure they continuously remain within the allowed speed and distance limits, and if necessary it will command the intervention of the braking system to avoid any risk of the train exceeding those limits. There have been considered in the work the main ETCS braking curves and the supervision limits of the EBD braking curves, the movement authority, the end of authority, the most restrictive speed profile, the supervised location and others. Differences in braking on dry and wet rails are considered. The braking on dry rails is relatively easy to represent through a statistical model that take into account the dispersion of the braking performance. But on wet rails the physical phenomenon that occur when braking are still today extremely difficult to model. In order to overcome this difficulty, two distinct rolling stock correction factors have been considered in order to get the guaranteed emergency brake deceleration.