Overview
GADEROS is a pilot project under the Growth thematic programme of the 5th Research Framework Programme of the European Union. Together with the Galilei study, it forms part of on-going research work for the Galileo programme. It is managed by the EU Directorate General for Energy and Transport. GADEROS will demonstrate the use of GNSS safety-oflife features for defining a satellite-based system to perform train location for safe railway applications that will be integrated into the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) / European Train Kontrol System (ETCS). The system will offer another
technological approach for train location, mainly for conventional and low-density traffic lines.
The scientific and technological objectives of GADEROS
are:
- proof of feasibility of integration of a GNSS locator for interoperability with the ETCS On-Board
- development of a Common Test Bed
- proof of feasibility of the application of a GNSS locator to support a Traffic Monitoring Centre.
The final outcome of this project will be the definition of unified test scenarios and
development of a common test facilities for the execution of common trials for the evaluation
of safe location principles of different devices satellite-based in a common controlled
environment. The project will also define a common functional requirement specification to
ntegrate the proposed GNSS subsystem into the ERTMS architecture A set of functional tests on at least one prototype that can be provided by different suppliers will also be executed depending on the devices availability and budget limit.
Funding
Results
The GADEROS project will demonstrate the use of GNSS for train location within ERTMS/ETCS. After developing the requirements base, from user needs to functional
pecification and test requirements, the specified tools will be implemented or adapted to set up the test bed. The project will perform tests on a number of prototypes on a low-traffic line – a real railway environment on the local line between Aranjuez and Valencia in Spain.
The d
ta from the field trials will be used for an offline study and analysis of the performance, as well as input for the simulator to verify interoperability with ETCS. GADEROS will first define user requirements for lowdensity traffic lines, including inputs from related railway
rojects, in order to define a common ground for this type of application. It will then develop the architecture for the GNSS component in ERTMS/ETCS to reach the Safety Integrity Level required for the location function in railway operation systems. GADEROS will also develop standard test and evaluation procedures and tools for GNSS-based trials for railway safety applications. It will adapt simulation tools, based on an existing International Union of Railways (UIC) simulator, to provide compatibility and interoperability of train location by satellite with the ETCS kernel. Finally, it will develop a reference test site for railway safety-related
GNSS applications.
Technical Implications
The expected technical achievements are:
-
Provide the Requirements Specifications for the software qualification tools used in the
project, as well as for the data content, structures and qualification criteria of Digital
Route Maps, including the update of software procedure specifications -
Contribute with the technological development for GNSS Locators and for Safety
Qualifiers. -
Requirements Specification for test, verification and evaluation procedures applicable to
validations according to EU standards specification relevant to railway safety and under
the frame of ERTMS/ETCS Interoperability Directive. -
Trials and evaluation of at least one demonstrator produced by other projects, funded
through EC or ESA projects.
Policy implications
GADEROS began in December 2001 and will run for 30 months. An additional 6-month period is foreseen so that more locators can be tested at the reference site. The user-needs identification was delivered in June 2002, while the subsystem specification and test plan are due at the end of 2002. Field trials will be performed in summer 2003. The evaluation and results and final review of the project will be in June 2004.