Presentation Systems Engineering Test & Evaluation Conference 2024

Novel uses of digital engineering tools for Systems Engineering and Assurance processes in infrastructure. (21207)

Nikhil Bharadwaj 1 , Lina Legenhausen 1
  1. KBR, Melbourne, VICTORIA, Australia

Overview: Rail transport plays a pivotal role in facilitating economic growth and enhancing mobility; however, rail projects are often large and complex, requiring systems engineering and assurance inputs. This presentation explores how digital solutions can support and enhance traditional systems engineering and assurance frameworks.

Context: Traditionally, systems engineering, and assurance tasks involve structured and sometimes time-consuming approaches for identifying stakeholder needs, defining system requirements, and integrating subsystems to achieve project objectives.

Purpose: While existing systems engineering and assurance frameworks provide a solid foundation for managing rail infrastructure projects, the use of digital engineering tools to solve the unique complexities of such projects are allowing systems engineering and assurance works to be completed more effectively and efficiently.

Approach: Through the integration of digital engineering tools on transport projects, the systems engineering and assurance team along with the digital engineering team, can run workshops more effectively and efficiently by allowing participants to have accurate depictions of equipment locations and to see the exact location of hazards and subsystems through the creation of tags. This also helps with requirements verification and validation activities.

Insights: There are potential advances that can be made by integrating digital design simulation and modelling tools to further automate and streamline systems engineering and assurance tasks such as workshops, requirements management activities, hazard analysis, generation of safety cases, and development of assurance case reports.