Gaps in Asset Management Systems to Integrate Railway Companies’ Resilience

Abstract

Railways and metros are safe, efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly mass carriers. They are critical cyber-physical systems (CPS) that are attractive targets for cyber and/or physical attacks. SAFETY4RAILS project delivers methods and systems to increase the safety and resilience of track-based inter-city railway and intra-city metro transportation. Asset management plays a fundamental role in resilience management. This study analyses the gaps in asset management systems of rail infrastructure. The objective of the study is to understand the weaknesses and vulnerabilities in an asset management system that impacts resilience. The form of triangulation fashion was used for the analysis of consequences for each threat event. The research conducted included: a systematic literature review; a multiple case study review; and an analysis. The strength of asset inventory, condition inspection methods and decision-making scenarios were analysed, and as an expanded part of this analysis, mitigation actions linked to the vulnerabilities were identified. The study implies that asset management systems are most important in resilience management’s response and recovery phases where the largest sudden economic implications can take place. The results of the gap analysis could be used to provide policy recommendations and standardisation efforts.