The INCOSE SE Handbook mentions a range of technical specialty processes, but the most significant ones from a transport perspective are as follows:
• EMC management
• RAM management
• Human factors integration management
Dem Need Concept SpecifyProcure Design Build Integrate Accept
Detailed SE Lifecycle Activities INCOSE SE Lifecycle Stages TfNSW Asset Lifecycle Stages Operation & Maintenance Analysis Requirements Management System Modelling & Analysis System Architecture Management Inspection & Test Management Verification & Validation Management Commissioning Management Systems Engineering Management Training & Competence Management Systems Assurance Management Configuration Management Engineering Change Management Document & Data Management Technical Interface Management
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING & RELATED MANAGEMENT PROCESSES
Need Concept Specify
Plan
13.1. EMC management
T MU AM 06006 ST states the following requirement:
"A project shall implement management arrangements for assuring electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) during the specification, design, integration or testing of electrical and electronic systems involving electromagnetic interference (EMI) threats or victims"
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is a systems-level attribute that can be highly complex and difficult to model and verify prior to commissioning. The risk of EMC issues arising with the introduction of novel electronic systems on the modern transport system is tangible.
Where type approved products are used in standard configurations, EMC may be demonstrable by complying with engineering standards and codes of practice and some testing. Where novel products are introduced or type approved products are configured in a novel way, then
additional modelling, analysis and testing is required in order to assure EMC risk is controlled.
The level of EMC effort should be scalable according to the novelty, complexity and risks associated with the introduction of new or altered systems.
For an electrical traction supply engineer, EMC may relate to modelling and analysis of a novel 25 kV ac traction system introduced onto a section of the rail network that was previously using 1500 V dc traction, or was not electrified. The effects of electromagnetic induction on parallel conductive paths such as fences, pipelines, and copper cables should be analysed and appropriate EMC controls put in place.
For a signal engineer, EMC may relate to analysis of external EMI threats to signal interlocking, remote control systems, copper lineside cables and other trackside equipment.
For a telecommunications engineer, EMC may relate to the introduction of audio hearing loops on station platforms, close to traction OHW and train detection systems, and therefore the need to analyse and test for in-band interference between these systems.
For a structural engineer, EMC may relate to the need to cooperate with the electrical traction supply engineer in identifying earthing and bonding arrangements for a bridge and the effects of electrolysis from dc traction earth return currents on the structure foundations.
For a contractor designing and building an at-grade car park outside the rail corridor, a need for any form of EMC management may not be present.
For more detailed guidance on management of EMC, refer to TS 10504 AEO Guide to Engineering Management. For the purposes of railway engineering, the EN50121 series of standards are treated as the guiding standards.
13.2. RAMS management
For the purposes of this guide, the term reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS) is used to define an integrated management approach. However, this guide is limited to RAM and not the safety element of RAMS management, as safety assurance is addressed in TS 20001 System Safety Standard for New or Altered Assets.
T MU AM 06006 ST states the following requirement:
"A project shall implement management arrangements that define the reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS) process, responsibilities, structure, tools and deliverables"
The need for and application of RAM management has different meaning to different disciplines.
The impact of RAM management on planning and acquisition of new or altered systems and the specific disciplines that support the system design should be understood.
T MU AM 06006 ST states the following requirement:
"A project shall consider RAMS performance and how it relates to operational performance for novel systems early in the system life cycle, starting with development of the operational concept definition and maintenance concept definition"
For a structural engineer, RAM may relate to finite element modelling and analysis of a bridge structure to determine stress points and selection of corrosion-resistant materials to ensure that the bridge meets or exceeds a 100 or 200 year lifetime.
For a track engineer, RAM may relate to the selection of harder wearing steel rail (such as CrMn or head-hardened rail) to achieve longer wear life under increased axle loads. This will have longer term impacts on future rail grinding and profiling programs that incur significant cost to the O&M.
For an electrical traction supply engineer, RAM may relate to the modelling and analysis of the traction power supply network, including feeders from the bulk electricity suppliers. This ensures that all traction supply points to the railway are fed from at least two geographically diverse points. This is done in order to achieve a required power supply availability and traction current performance under normal, degraded and emergency modes of operation.
For a signal engineer, RAM may relate to the reliability modelling and analysis of a redundant remote control or interlocking architecture to assure availability or the selection of LED signals to improve reliability over filament lamp signals.
For a telecommunications engineer, RAM may relate to reliability modelling and analysis of a redundant optical fibre backbone network and selection of a ring, star or network architecture to achieve sufficient network availability under normal and degraded modes of operation.
T MU AM 06006 ST states the following requirement:
"A project shall consider human reliability factors as part of the overall reliability of the system"
Human element of overall system reliability should be considered in the development of a system and the achievement of its requirements. Humans are susceptible to varying levels of performance due to many factors that affect their reliability in carrying out functions, including stress, fatigue, distraction, workload, environment, competence, and so on.
T MU AM 06006 ST states the following requirement:
"A project shall use RAMS modelling to appropriately support option selection and development and preliminary system design, to ensure that the new or altered system will meet the stated operational capability and provide value for money over the designed system lifetime"
Where the new or altered system is specified to use proven type approved products in standard approved configurations, the need for RAMS modelling may not be necessary. If the preferred option is specified by TfNSW due to logistic reasons, then there is little value to be gained by the AEO (typically the design consultant) performing detailed RAMS modelling and analysis in order to obtain numeric RAMS targets.
Where TfNSW has provided numeric RAMS targets to be met by the contracting parties, then it is necessary for the design AEO to develop a RAM model to verify during design that the system is likely to meet those targets.
T MU AM 06006 ST states the following requirement:
"A project shall consider sustainable operation and maintenance of the new or altered system over the full system life cycle"
In order to achieve a system-level assurance of RAM, a RAM manager or engineer should coordinate all individual RAM analysis performed at subsystem level where the level of system complexity, novelty and risk justifies this.
For more guidance on the management of RAM, refer to TS 10504 AEO Guide to Engineering Management, EN 50126 RAMS, and AS/NZS ISO/IEC 15288.
13.3. HFI management
T MU AM 06006 ST states the following requirement:
"A project shall implement management arrangements for assuring human factors integration (HFI) during the specification, design, integration or testing of the new or altered system"
The study or human factors and ergonomics and the interaction of humans with designed and built systems is a complex and specialised field. This is carried out by specialist professionals with the necessary blend of knowledge in human psychology, biomechanics and cognitive skills to support the development of systems that successfully work with human operators.
The AEO should be aware of the need for some degree of HFI in the development of the solution and the assurance that risks (including safety) are not introduced at the
human-machine interface.
For more detailed requirements and guidance on human factors integration, refer to
T MU HF 00001 ST Human Factors Integration – General Requirements, T HR HF 00001 ST Human Factors Integration – Rolling Stock, and T MU HF 0001 GU AEO Guide to Human Factors Integration.