SoMMME

Department of Mechanical Engineering

EMG 2410: Control Engineering II

Nonlinear Systems Control

James K. Kimotho
 SoMMME
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Introduction

Nonlinear control theory is the area of control theory which

deals with systems that are nonlinear, time-variant, or both.
Properties of nonlinear systems:
– They do not follow the principle of superposition (linearity and
homogeneity).

– They may have multiple isolated equilibrium points.

– They may exhibit properties such as limit cycle, bifurcation, chaos.
– Finite escape time: Solutions of nonlinear systems may not exist
for all times.
– For a sinusoidal input, the output signal may contain many
harmonics and sub-harmonics with various amplitudes and phase
differences (a linear system's output will only contain the sinusoid
at the output)

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Department of Mechanical Engineering

Linearization of Nonlinear Functions

The behavior of a nonlinear system, described by 𝑦 = 𝑓(𝑥) , in

the vicinity of a given operating point, 𝑥 = 𝑥0 , can be
approximated by plotting a tangent line to the graph of 𝑓(𝑥) at
that point.
Analytically, linearization of a nonlinear function involves first-
order Taylor series expansion about the operative point.
Let 𝛿𝑥 = 𝑥 − 𝑥0 represent the variation from the operating
point; then the Taylor series of a function of single variable is
written as:

The resulting first order model is described by:

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Department of Mechanical Engineering

Linearization of State Variable Models

Example 1

The model of a simple pendulum is described by the dynamic

equation:

where 𝜃(𝑡) is the pendulum angle, 𝑇(𝑡) is the applied

torque; 𝑚, 𝑙 represent the mass and the length of the
pendulum, and 𝑔 is the gravitational constant.

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Department of Mechanical Engineering

Linearization of Nonlinear Functions

Example 1

By using (𝜃, 𝜔) as the state variables for the pendulum, the

nonlinear model is expressed as:

The Jacobian matrix for the simple pendulum is expressed as:

Two equilibrium points in the case of a simple pendulum can

be identified: 𝜃𝑒 = 0°, 180°.
– 𝜃𝑒 = 0°. – For disturbance rejection
– 𝜃𝑒 = 180°. – For balancing.

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 SoMMME
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Linearization of Nonlinear Functions

Example 1

The linearized models defined at the equilibrium points are

given as:

The output equation in both cases is given as:

Applications
– Walking robots
– Segway
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 SoMMME
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Linearization of Nonlinear Functions

Example 2

Linearize the nonlinear equation, 𝑧 = 2𝑥𝑦, in the region 4 ≤ 𝑥 ≤

6, 8 ≤ 𝑦 ≤ 10. Find the error if the linearization is used to
calculate the value of z when 𝑥 = 4, 𝑦 = 8.
Using Taylors Series expansion of the non-linear equation and
neglecting higher order terms, we have

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 SoMMME
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Lyapunov Stability

Lyapunov’s stability analysis technique is very common and

dominant.
The main deficiency, which severely limits its utilization is the
complication linked with the development of the Lyapunov
function which is needed by the technique.
The system dynamics must be described by a state-space
model. It is a description in terms of a set of first-order
differential equations.

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Department of Mechanical Engineering

Lyapunov Stability

Theorem: Consider a continuously differentiable function 𝑉(𝑥)

such that 𝑉(𝑥) > 0 for all 𝑥 ≠ 0 and 𝑉(0) = 0 (𝑉 is positive
definite).
We then have the following conditions for the various notions
of stability.
ሶ
1) If 𝑉(𝑥) ≤ 0 for all 𝑥, then 𝑥 = 0 is stable.
ሶ
2) In addition, if 𝑉(𝑥) < 0 for all 𝑥 ≠ 0, then 𝑥 = 0 is
asymptotically stable.
3) In addition to (1) and (2) above, if 𝑉 is radially unbounded,
i.e., 𝑥 → ∞ ⇒ 𝑉(𝑥) → ∞ , then 𝑥 = 0 is globally
asymptotically stable (GAS).

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Department of Mechanical Engineering

Lyapunov Stability

𝑉 is called a Lyapunov function

𝑉 must be positive definite.
Stability means that the Lyapunov function decreases along
the trajectory of 𝑥(𝑡).
Case (1) means that 𝑉ሶ is negative semi-definite
Case (2) means that 𝑉ሶ is negative definite
This is only sufficient condition! Constructing Lyapunov
functions is basically by trial-and-error.

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Department of Mechanical Engineering

Lyapunov Stability
Example: Nonlinear Spring-Mass-Damper System

A spring-mass-damper system for which the damping force is

proportional to the third power of the velocity is described by
the differential equation

Let mass position 𝑦 and velocity 𝑦ሶ be chosen as state

variables:

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 SoMMME
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Lyapunov Stability

𝑉ሶ is negative semi-definite, so the system is globally stable.

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Department of Mechanical Engineering

Control Design of Non-Linear Systems

Gain scheduling
Adaptive control
Feedback linearization
Lyapunov based methods
Lyapunov Redesign
Back-stepping
Sliding mode control

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 SoMMME
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Gain Scheduling

It is an approach to control of non-linear systems that uses a

family of linear controllers, each of which provides satisfactory
control for a different operating point of the system
One or more observable variables, called the scheduling
variables, are used to determine what operating region the
system is currently in and to enable the appropriate linear
controller
Aircraft example:
– flight control system, the altitude and Mach number might be the
scheduling variables, with different linear controller parameters
available for various combinations of these two variables.

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 SoMMME
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Gain Scheduling

Example of scheduling variables

– Production rate
– Machine speed, e.g., DVD player
– Mach number and dynamic pressure

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Department of Mechanical Engineering

Adaptive Control

Modifying the controller parameters to compensate slow time–

varying behavior or uncertainties
For example, as an aircraft flies, its mass will slowly decrease
as a result of fuel consumption; we need a control law that
adapts itself to such changing conditions
Adaptive control does not need a priori information about the
bounds on these uncertain or time varying parameters
Robust control guarantees that if the changes are within given
bounds the control law need not be changed while adaptive
control is precisely concerned with control law changes

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 SoMMME
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Adaptive Control

The main feature of the adaptive controller is that it achieves

the control objective (regulation) despite large-scale
uncertainty

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Department of Mechanical Engineering

Thank You
for
Your Kind Attention!
Dr.-Ing. James Kuria Kimotho Department of Mechanical Engineering
jkuria@eng.jkuat.ac.ke JKUAT
P.O. Box 62000-00200
Tel: +254791872389 Nairobi