Criticality determination based on failure records for decision-making in the overhead contact line system

Abstract

In this article, a new methodology to determine the criticality of the components of the overhead contact line (OCL) system by means of a component criticality index is proposed. The methodology is based on classic failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) but adapted to its application on this system, with characteristics far from industrial systems where FMEA was developed. The procedure is focused on the analysis of the system's operating history with the important advantage that the subjectivity of the usual procedures is reduced. This methodology has proved to be very useful when applied to decision-making and for establishing maintenance frequencies of the elements of the OCL of the Spanish railway network, and it could also be applied to other kind of large-scale distributed systems.