This report is a group assignment for the Safety by Design course by df. M. Rajabeli Nejad at the University of Twente. The main objective is to apply the group’s knowledge of the system safety process and provide design proposals for improving safety in the dutch railway system, with the use of a Digital Twin.
The train is a relatively sustainable transport mode and will, therefore, play a major role in the future. The EU recognizes the importance of the rail network and aims to achieve a single European rail area operating openly across the whole of Europe under agreed (non-)technical demands. One of the major aspects of the rail network is safety. The EU targets to halve the number of casualties by 2020 and achieve almost no fatalities by 2050. New technologies can play a major role in the safety objectives of the rail network. Digital twins are such a new technology that has become one of the most talked-about topics because of their promise to leverage innovation to improve the design, visually enhance collaboration, and increase asset reliability and performance. This report will look into the positive changes the Digital Twin technology can provide for the safety of railway systems.