Development and validation of odometric algorithms for railway control and monitoring systems [Sviluppo e validazione di algoritmi di odometria per sistemi di controllo e monitoraggio ferroviari]

Present railway systems need amomatica devices for train running control because of the high speed and the higher and higher safety, efficiency and reliability levels required. A fundamental part of these control systems is the so-called odometry that is the set of equipment and software procedures that allow to know with continuity position and speed of the running trains. The odomeiric system validation is carried out on the basis of a series of tests that have to reproduce the highest possible number of cases that could actually occur (degraded adherence conditions axle locking, fault of sensores, etc., This paper describes the operation principles of the control and monitoring systems that are presently in a development and implementation phase at both national level (SCMT system) and European level (ERTMS). Some possible solutions for the odometric system are then illustrated. A software model for train simulation is finally described; this model will be able to be utilized for the odomeiric system validation without resorting to trial runs or anyway reducing their neccessity.