Evaluation of the railway traffic safety level using the additive resultant indicator

Abstract

A comprehensive approach to determining the level of safety of train traffic on the objects of the railway infrastructure was proposed. This approach involves taking into account a wide range of factors of influence when determining the safety level. These factors include technical means, personnel management, production practice and investments to the traffic safety. Each factor is characterized by its indicators. The total number of indicators is twelve. They have different dimensionality. In this case, the problem of complex estimation is considered as a multicriteria optimization problem. Solution to this problem is proposed using an additive resultant indicator. It was proposed to introduce a term that determines quality of the safe operation of the sector dealing with transportation of goods and passengers: the level of safety of the transportation process at an infrastructure object. As a criterion for assessing the traffic safety, a resultant additive indicator was formed which determines the level of traffic safety of the train traffic at an infrastructure object. This indicator represents the sum of monotonically growing positive additive functions each of which has its weight (weight factor). The resultant indicator is dimensionless and does not exceed the value of 1. In determining the weight factors, the method of expert estimates is used. The proposed method of assessment of traffic safety will provide analysis of the situation at the railway range at a higher quality level. It is possible to identify more dangerous infrastructure objects that affect the overall level of safety of the railway net. Application of this method will optimize allocation of resources to ensure traffic safety while adhering to its permissible level. The method can be used in the design of infrastructure projects to determine their level of safety in the process of transportation of goods and passengers.