Method for managing braking in a degraded adhesion condition for a vehicle system

A brake management system, comprising:

• one or more processors configured to set a target deceleration value to be reached by a vehicle system comprising at least one vehicle, the target deceleration value allowing the vehicle system to reach a zero traveling speed within a target stopping distance and within a first time, the one or more processors configured to direct at least one braking system of the vehicle system to apply a non-degraded braking force, a value of the non-degraded braking force calculated to obtain the target deceleration value, the one or more processors configured to check a presence of a degraded adhesion condition between the vehicle system and a route along which the vehicle system moves, wherein:
• responsive to the degraded adhesion condition not being detected, the one or more processors are configured to direct the at least one braking system to maintain application of the non-degraded braking force, which will allow the vehicle system to reach the target deceleration value within a first time and allow the vehicle system to achieve accordingly a zero traveling speed within the target stopping distance;
• or
• responsive to the degraded adhesion condition being detected, the one or more processors are configured to direct the at least one braking system to:
• apply a degraded braking force with the braking system that is lower than the non-degraded braking force and coinciding with an upper limit braking force based on the degraded adhesion condition;
• activate a recovery means arranged to control deceleration of the vehicle system, the recover means allowing the vehicle system to reach the target deceleration value within a second time that is greater than the first time to allow the vehicle system to reach a zero traveling speed within a degraded stopping distance that is greater than the target stopping distance;
• determine a compensation deceleration value as a function of the degraded stopping distance based on one or more difference between the degraded braking force and the non-degraded braking force, the compensation deceleration value being arranged to allow the vehicle system to reach a zero traveling speed within the target stopping distance;
• and
• apply at least one of the braking system or the recovery means to control one or more of the deceleration of the vehicle system or a compensation braking force, the compensation braking force being greater than the non-degraded braking force and based on the compensation deceleration value, to the compensation braking force allowing the vehicle system to reach the compensation deceleration value and to reach the zero traveling speed within the target stopping distance.

A method comprising:

• determining a target deceleration value to be reached by a vehicle system within a first time period that causes the vehicle system to stop within a target stopping distance within a first time, the target deceleration value determined using one or more processors of a brake management system;
• applying a non-degraded braking force using at least one braking system of the vehicle system that obtains the target deceleration value;
• determining whether a degraded adhesion condition between the vehicle system and a route along which the vehicle system moves exists using the one or more processors of the brake management system;
• and
• responsive to the degraded adhesion condition being determined:
• applying a degraded braking force with the at least one braking system that is lower than the non-degraded braking force;
• controlling deceleration of the vehicle system using the at least one braking system to reach the target deceleration value within a longer second time that is longer than the first time to allow the vehicle system to reach a zero traveling speed within a degraded stopping distance that is longer than the target stopping distance;
• determining a compensation deceleration value as a function of the degraded stopping distance using the one or more processors of the brake management system and based on one or more differences between the degraded braking force and the non-degraded braking force;
• and
• applying the braking system using the at least one braking system to control one or more of the deceleration of the vehicle system or a compensation braking force, the compensation braking force being greater than the non-degraded braking force and based on the compensation deceleration value.