TESTING LABORATORY

Cetren has got the technical means needed to perform the testing required by the Technical Specifications for Interoperability persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility (Commission Regulation (EU) n. 1300/2014, of 18 November, TSI PRM), as well as a wide variety of acoustic tests.

CONTRAST TESTING
Contrast is a second category parameter, as defined in TSI Application Guide, section 2.3.2. The contrast can refer to the difference in light reflectance (LRV) or luminance values. Cetren uses UNE-EN 16584-1:2017 standard as a benchmark for contrast evaluation and uses a sphere spectrophotometer, in accordance with standard requirements.

TSI imposes contrast verification on:

A) INFRASTRUCTURE

  • Thresholds less than 2.5 cm high
  • Bands on first and last steps of stairs
  • Walking surface indicators
  • Furniture and free-standing devices
  • Text, symbols and pictograms with visual information (self-contrast)
  • Visual signal on platforms at danger area limits
  • Platform ramps (ends and signals)
  • Platform lifts (signals)

B) ROLLING STOCK

  • Handholds contrast to the seat
  • Handrails contrast to the vehicle interior surroundings
  • Door opening devices contrast to the surface on which they are mounted
  • Exterior passenger doorways contrast to the vehicle body-side surrounding
  • Interior floor of the vehicle facing the doorways
  • Visual information with its background
  • Individual identification of every seat with its background (seat numbering)
  • Contrast band on the first and last step
  • Call for aid devices with their background
  • Control devices, including flushing system, handrails, toilet seat and lid, at on-board toilets
  • Call for aid devices in toilets
  • On-board ramps (ends and signals)
  • On-board lifts (signals)
GROUND REFLECTANCE TEST
Ground reflectance is a second category parameter and should be assessed on pavements and ground surface located on obstacle-free routes. The reference standard used by Cetren is ISO 2813:1999, or a later version (ISO 2813:2015), and it requires a brightness level of 50 or lower. Cetren has a glossmeter with a geometry of 20° / 60° / 85°, in compliance with the standard requirements.
LIGHTING TEST

Lighting on platforms and in rolling stock is a first-category parameter, according to standards EN 12464-2:2014 and EN 12464-1:2011 for platforms, and to standard EN 13272:2012 for rolling stock.

Other spaces where lighting shall be assessed, i.e. station outdoor areas and obstacle-free routes, especially slopes, offices, ticket vending machines, information counters and information screens, shall be governed by the standard defined by the Infrastructure Manager, as this is a second category parameter. Emergency lighting is also a second category parameter.

In rolling stock, the lighting should be checked in areas intended for passengers.

Measuring illuminance, as second category parameter, is done in accordance with ISO 21542: 2011 and EN 1838:2013. For measurements, Cetren has a corrected luxmeter in photopia spectral sensitivity V (λ) and in cosine, in accordance with standard requirements.

STI-PA TEST

Intelligibility of the information spoken through public address systems is a first-category parameter, and is governed by standard EN 60268-16: 2011 in Annex B, relating to STI-PA (Speech Transmission Index for Public Address Systems). PRM TSI Regulation No. 1300/2014 EU of 18 November, requires a minimum level of STI-PA of 0.45 at seat and wheelchair spaces in rolling stock, as well as at interest points of stations and platforms.

For this type of measurements, Cetren has got, amid its systems, a class 1 sound meter (in accordance with Welmec Guide), class 1 calibrator, custom software and tonal analysis audio for STI-PA test signal according to standard requirements. 

ACOUSTIC TESTS

Cetren has got qualified staff with extensive experience in the performance of acoustic tests and owns a modern measurement instrumentation to carry them out with full quality assurance: class 1 acoustic calibrator and class 1 two-channel sound level meter (in accordance with the Guide Welmec) with applications of frequency analysis in 1/1 and 1/3 octave, tonal analysis, audio recording, noise monitoring and recording of temporal evolution of the signal. The acoustic tests that Cetren performs are:

  • ACOUSTIC WARNINGS: acoustic warnings to travelers of the opening and closing of exterior doors of the train are parameters related to the subsystem “rolling stock” that must be evaluated in the interior hall of the train and outdoor, at the platform. EU Regulation No. 1300/2014 establishes in its Appendix G the measurement method and the characteristics of the acoustic signals in relation to the sound pressure level and number and frequency of the warning tones. Likewise, EU Regulation No. 1302/2014 establishes the requirements and the test method of the acoustic signals emitted by the warning speakers, according to the standard EN 15153-2.
  • ROLLING STOCK: in terms of acoustic emissions, the “rolling stock” subsystem must comply with the limits and requirements established in EU Regulation No. 1304/2014, of November 26, Noise TSI, differentiating between four fundamental parameters:
      • Stationary noise
      • Starting noise
      • Pass-by noise
      • Driver’s cab interior noise
    • The reference standards for this type of test are EN 15892 for driver’s cab interior noise and EN ISO 3095 for all other parameters.
    • OTHER ACOUSTIC TESTS: thanks to its experience and technical means, Cetren can carry out a wide variety of tests and acoustic studies, such as those related to the determination of ambient noise levels, as described in UNE-EN ISO 1996 -2 and the legislation of application in each particular case.