Do you have confidence in how your rolling stock has been maintained? A blockchain-led knowledge-sharing platform for building trust between stakeholders

Abstract

This study explores the potential of blockchain technology in enhancing trust among the stakeholders responsible for the maintenance of rolling stock. Although the technology has been widely successful in the financial sector, it is still novel in the maintenance field. Given the customized nature of maintenance processes, it is unclear if a suitable consensus protocol can be identified that can enhance trust among stakeholders. This problem is investigated through the lens of the Design Science Research Methodology. First, the theoretical background of blockchain technology and its role in enhancing trust are explained, followed by the analysis of a current case at a Railway company to test the proof of concept. A business network archive is developed for the maintenance management of the sliding step of the train door system. The archive encompasses the business logic and transactional data required to enhance trust among stakeholders in the quality of performed maintenance. The developed archive is deployed on Hyperledger Fabric and the effectiveness of the solution is evaluated through a survey. The results show that the developed business network, deployed on a customized Hyperledger Fabric consensus protocol, enhanced trust among the stakeholders involved.