Skip to main content

Model Checking Interlocking Control Tables

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:

Abstract

A challenging problem for model checking is represented by railway interlocking systems. It is a well known fact that interlocking systems, due to their inherent complexity related to the high number of variables involved, are not amenable to automatic verification, typically incurring in state space explosion problems. The literature is however quite scarce on data concerning the size of interlocking systems that have been successfully proved with model checking techniques. In this paper we attempt a systematic study of the applicability bounds for general purpose model checkers on this class of systems, by studying the typical characteristics of control tables and their size parameters. The results confirm that, although small scale interlocking systems can be addressed by model checking, interlockings that control medium or large railway yards can not, asking for specialized verification techniques.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Anunchai, S.V.: Verification of Railway Interlocking Tables using Coloured Pertri Nets. Proceedings of the 10th Workshop and Tutorial on Practical Use of Coloured Petri Nets and the CPN Tools (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Boralv, A.: Formal Verification of a Computerized Railway Interlocking. Formal Aspects of Computing 10 (1998) 338–360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Cimatti, A., et al.: NuSMV 2: An OpenSource Tool for Symbolic Model Checking. CAV 2002, LNCS 2404, 359–364

    Google Scholar 

  4. Fokkink , W., Hollingshead, P.: Verification of Interlockings: from Control Tables to Ladder Logic Diagrams. 3rd FMICS Workshop (1998) 171–185.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Hansen, K.M.: Formalizing Railway Interlocking Systems. Proceedings of the 2nd FMERail Workshop (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Haxthausen, A.E., Peleska, J.: Formal Development and Verification of a Distributed Railway Control System. Proceedings of FM’99, LNCS 1709 (1999) 1546 – 1563

    Google Scholar 

  7. Haxthausen, A.E.: Developing a Domain Model for Relay Circuits. International Journal of Software and Informatics (2009) 241–272

    Google Scholar 

  8. Holzmann, G.J.: The SPIN Model Checker : Primer and Reference Manual. Addison-Wesley Professional (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Kanso, K., et al.: Automated Verification of Signalling Principles in Railway Interlocking Systems. ENTCS 250 (2009) 19–31

    Google Scholar 

  10. Mirabadi, A., Yazdi, M.B.: Automatic Generation and Verification of Railway Interlocking Control tables using FSM and NuSMV. Transport Problems : an International Scientific Journal 4 (2009) 103–110

    Google Scholar 

  11. Pavlovic, O., Ehrich, H.: Model Checking PLC Software Written in Function Block Diagram. 3rd ICST (2010) 439–448

    Google Scholar 

  12. Tombs, D., et al.: Signalling Control Table Generation and Verification. Proceedings of the Conference on Railway Engineering (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Winter, K., Robinson, N.J.: Modeling Large Railway Interlockings and Model Checking Small Ones. Proceedings of the 26th Australasian Computer Science Conference 35 (2003) 309–316

    Google Scholar 

  14. Winter, K., et al.: Tool Support for Checking Railway Interlocking Designs. Proceedings of the 10th Australian Workshop on Safety Critical Systems and Software (2006) 101–107

    Google Scholar 

  15. Schlich, B., Brauer, J., Wernerus, J., Kowalewski, S.: Direct Model Checking of PLC Programs in IL. Proceedings of DCDS (2009) to appear

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Ferrari, A., Magnani, G., Grasso, D., Fantechi, A. (2011). Model Checking Interlocking Control Tables. In: Schnieder, E., Tarnai, G. (eds) FORMS/FORMAT 2010. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14261-1_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14261-1_11

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-14260-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-14261-1

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics