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A digital twin system for the integration of railway infrastructure data
Thesis (MEng) -- Stellenbosch University, 2022.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2022
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| _version_ | 1867613925302861824 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Doubell, Gerhardus Christiaan |
| author2 | Kruger, K. |
| author_browse | Doubell, Gerhardus Christiaan Kruger, K. |
| author_facet | Kruger, K. Doubell, Gerhardus Christiaan |
| author_sort | Doubell, Gerhardus Christiaan |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng) -- Stellenbosch University, 2022. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/126150 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:53.285Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/126150 A digital twin system for the integration of railway infrastructure data Doubell, Gerhardus Christiaan Kruger, K. Basson, A. H. Conradie, P. D. F. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. Digital twins (Computer simulation) Information superhighway Data integration (Computer science) Maintenance and repair Railroads -- Buildings and structures UCTD Thesis (MEng) -- Stellenbosch University, 2022. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The integration of data within large complex systems, such as railway infrastructure, forms a key component of enabling data-led decision making. Data can exist in numerous different data silos, provided by different data sources, with different interfaces and encapsulated data properties. The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) currently faces this challenge. Research on digital twins (DTs) highlight the integration of data as one of the key advantages of DTs. However, very little research has been published on the implementation of DTs within railway infrastructure and, in particular, for the integration of data. Considering the above, this thesis presents the development of a DT system technology demonstrator for the integration of data for PRASA’s railway infrastructure. This technology demonstrator is evaluated based on a case study implementation for PRASA maintenance management in the Western Cape province. The DT system architecture utilises a layer with various “wrapper” components to provide specific interfaces to each of the data sources to be included in the system. In addition to the wrapper layer, the DT system architecture utilises a DT aggregation hierarchy to store data that represents physical reality, where each DT can also provide services that rely purely in the DT's scope of reality. The DT hierarchy is complemented with a services network to provide the required services that, as dictated by its purpose, integrates information from various DTs and, potentially, external sources. The DT system architecture is intended to be vendor-neutral and can therefore be broadly implemented. The developed DT system promises to be a valuable tool for maintenance management, by providing a holistic view of the railway infrastructure. The view can be reconfigured to adapt to changing infrastructure, data sources and user needs. Having been tested with diverse data sources and interfaces, complex relationships between infrastructural elements, and changing requirements and infrastructure, the DT system technology demonstrator can be considered suitable for PRASA’s railway infrastructure network, but also for other contexts where a similar environment (with regards to data sources and interfaces) is encountered. The integration of data through the DT system provides a means through which the number of data sources that need to be consulted for decision making, can be reduced. At the same time, the DT system provides a platform from which additional services can be offered, both now and in the future. AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Die integrasie van data binne groot komplekse stelsels soos spoorweg-infrastruktuur, vorm 'n kern element van om data-geleide besluitneming moontlik te maak. Data kan in talle verskillende datasilo's, wat deur verskillende databronne voorsien word, met verskillende koppelvlakke, en met verskillende data-eienskappe, bestaan. Die Passasierspooragentskap van Suid-Afrika (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, PRASA), staar tans hierdie uitdaging in die gesig. Navorsing oor digitale tweelinge (DT'e) beklemtoon die integrasie van data as een van die belangrikste voordele van DT'e. Baie min navorsing is egter gepubliseer oor die implementering van DT'e binne spoorweginfrastruktuur en, in besonder, vir die integrasie van data. Met inagneming van die bogenoemde, bied hierdie tesis die ontwikkeling van 'n tegnologiedemonstrator van 'n DT-stelsel vir die integrasie van data vir PRASA se spoorweginfrastruktuur. Hierdie tegnologiedemonstrator word geëvalueer op grond van 'n gevallestudie-implementering vir PRASA se instandhoudingsbestuur in die Wes-Kaap provinsie. Die DT-stelselargitektuur gebruik 'n laag met verskeie "omhulsel"-komponente om spesifieke koppelvlakke te verskaf aan elk van die databronne wat in die stelsel ingesluit moet word. Saam met die laag omhulsel-komponente, gebruik die ontwikkelde DT-stelselargitektuur, 'n samevoegingshiërargie van DT’e om data te stoor wat die fisiese werklikheid voor stel, waar elke DT ook dienste lewer wat suiwer van die DT se omvang van realiteit afhang. Die DT hierargie word gekomplementeer deur 'n dienstenetwerk wat vereiste dienste verskaf wat, wanneer daarvoor gevra word, inligting van verskeie DT’e en, potensieel, eksterne bronne integreer. Die DT-stelselargitektuur is bedoel om verkoper-neutraal te wees en kan dus breedweg geïmplementeer word. 2022-11-18T10:34:04Z 2023-01-16T12:52:39Z 2022-11-18T10:34:04Z 2023-01-16T12:52:39Z 2022-11 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126150 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xvi, 103 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Digital twins (Computer simulation) Information superhighway Data integration (Computer science) Maintenance and repair Railroads -- Buildings and structures UCTD Doubell, Gerhardus Christiaan A digital twin system for the integration of railway infrastructure data |
| title | A digital twin system for the integration of railway infrastructure data |
| title_full | A digital twin system for the integration of railway infrastructure data |
| title_fullStr | A digital twin system for the integration of railway infrastructure data |
| title_full_unstemmed | A digital twin system for the integration of railway infrastructure data |
| title_short | A digital twin system for the integration of railway infrastructure data |
| title_sort | digital twin system for the integration of railway infrastructure data |
| topic | Digital twins (Computer simulation) Information superhighway Data integration (Computer science) Maintenance and repair Railroads -- Buildings and structures UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126150 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT doubellgerharduschristiaan adigitaltwinsystemfortheintegrationofrailwayinfrastructuredata AT doubellgerharduschristiaan digitaltwinsystemfortheintegrationofrailwayinfrastructuredata |