Sharif Digital Repository

Special attention is given to vertical takeoff and landing air vehicles due to their unique capabilities and versatile missions. The main problem here is control effectiveness at low flight speeds and transition maneuvers because of the inherent instability. RMIT is a small sized tail-sitter ducted fan air vehicle with a particular configuration layout, multiple control surfaces, low weight, and high-speed flight capability. In the current study, a comprehensive nonlinear model is firstly developed for RMIT, followed by a validation process. This model consists of all parts including aerodynamic forces and moments, control surfaces term together with the gravity and driving fan forces.... 

To deal with strong nonlinearity in nonlinear systems, a new method called cascade multiple-model predictive controller based on gap metric and stability margin, is proposed. The gap metric is utilized to describe the nonlinear system by a linear model bank. It is possible to select nominal local models from the linear model bank by an algorithm based on the gap metric and stability margin to avoid the redundancy of the local controllers. By scheduling proportional controller for each nominal local model, the robust stability is guaranteed whereas there will be no guarantee for the desired performance. Then, by designing a model predictive controller in the cascade structure, the closed loop... 

Control of MMA polymerization batch reactor has intensively investigated. The nonlinear and time varying behavior of the system makes its control a challenging task. MPC algorithm is enjoying an increasing application for control of chemical processes. A sequential linearized model based predictive controller based on the DMC algorithm was designed to control the temperature of a batch MMA polymerization reactor. A genetic algorithm (GA) is suggested to optimize the cost function of DMC. The controller performance was studied via simulation. The controller performance in tracking the profile, noise and disturbances rejection is very good  

The use of manipulators in space missions has become popular, as their applications can be extended to various space missions such as on-orbit servicing, assembly, and debris removal. Due to space reachability limitations, such robots must accomplish their tasks in space autonomously and under severe operating conditions such as the occurrence of faults or uncertainties. For robots and manipulators used in space missions, this paper provides a unique, robust control technique based on Model Predictive Path Integral Control (MPPI). The proposed algorithm, named Planner-Estimator MPPI (PE-MPPI), comprises a planner and an estimator. The planner controls a system, while the estimator modifies... 

Abstract This paper proposes a bumpless transfer method to overcome the problem of switching jumps in a scheduled robust model predictive control approach. A scheduled robust model predictive controller implements a set of local robust model predictive controllers based on an on-line switching strategy. This method could enlarge the domain of attraction efficiently but the transient response might be hampered by spikes appearing at the moment of switching between adjacent local controllers. The proposed algorithm could enhance the transient response by implementing some intermediate controllers augmented to the main control scheme to solve the problem without needing more computation. The... 

Spreading Covid19 has significantly impacted humans' affairs worldwide, either economically or in a sanitary manner. Besides social distance and hospitalization, making and introducing different vaccines help us ameliorate infection and mortality rates. In this research, we use a nonlinear dynamic model for Covid19, with eight states named susceptible, exposed, infected, quarantined, hospitalized, recovered, deceased, and insusceptible populations. Also, we use social distancing, hospitalization, and vaccination rate as three control inputs. This research aims to stop the Covid-19 from spreading worldwide and minimize exposed, infected and deceased populations using model predictive control.... 

This paper studies the real-time energy management of large-scale residential households and standalone electric vehicles charging stations using a non-cooperative game based on consensus protocol. We consider a set of aggregators, each equipped with a processor, to minimize its own cost function by having access to the local estimation terms of neighboring aggregators. Since the cost function of each aggregator is affected by strategy of other aggregators through total generation cost, such interaction among competitive agents is modeled as a non-cooperative game. An idea based on model predictive control is utilized to deal with highly random behavior of users. In this paper, a time-of-use... 

In the present study, numerical simulations are conducted to estimate the in-plane response of adobe walls subjected to pseudo-static cyclic loading based on the finite element code ABAQUS. The simplified micro-modeling approach is adopted and an interface model reported in ABAQUS material library is applied as material model for zero-thickness interface elements. The comparison between obtained results and field test data results in good agreement. Parametric studies are carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of independent parameters changes on response of adobe walls. It is noted that mechanical properties of joints and adobe units play an active role on in-plane behavior of walls. A... 

A comparison of three common controllers for stabilising a vertical take-off and landing air vehicle is presented. RMIT is a small sized tail-sitter ducted fan air vehicle with a particular configuration layout, multiple control surfaces, low weight, and high-speed flight capability. The main problem here is control effectiveness at low flight speeds and transition manoeuvres because of the inherent instability. In the current study, a comprehensive nonlinear model is firstly developed for RMIT, followed by a validation process. Subsequently, linear, adaptive and model predictive controllers are designed in vertical flight. Based on the simulation results, it is shown that the linear... 

This paper investigates the control of diesel engines comprising two actuators: exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve and variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) to mitigate the exhaust emissions. In contrast to conventional control techniques, multi-model predictive control (MMPC) algorithm is employed for control purposes. With the help of proposed scheme, constraints of the control problem is also considered and nonlinear model to enhance performance is utilized. In doing so, new controller tries to fulfill a compromise between fuel consumption and torque response by regulating air-to-fuel ratio and EGR fraction to decrease pollutants emission especially nitrogen oxides (NOx). The dynamic... 

In this paper, a new model predictive controller is introduced to control a power unit process with three inputs and three outputs. This method is proposed to reduce the complexity of the required computation. In fact, the presented controller ensures achieving an acceptable performance in the presence of noise and disturbances and reduces the volume of calculations to control a complex and nonlinear boilerturbine process. The simulation results indicate that the implementation of the proposed controller requires less computing time while the performance degradation is not more than five percent  

In this paper, a decentralized model predictive control approach is proposed for discrete linear systems with a high number of inputs and states. The system is decomposed into several interacting subsystems. The interaction among subsystems is modeled as external disturbances. Then, using the concept of robust positively invariant ellipsoids, a robust model predictive control law is obtained for each subsystem solving several linear matrix inequalities. Maintaining the recursive feasibility while considering the attenuation of mutual coupling at each time step and the stability of the overall system are investigated. Moreover, an illustrative simulation example is provided to demonstrate the... 

The objective of this paper is to provide a stochastic framework to optimally avoid collision between a maneuverable spacecraft and a space object or debris. The satellite collision can be caused through a cyber-attack on a satellite by colliding it with a considered strategic satellite. Consequently, it is highly imperative that critical operational space assets be provided with autonomous collision avoidance systems. The collision avoidance methodology proposed in this paper will reduce the collision probability to an acceptable level and protect the satellite against indirect kinetic cyber-attacks initiated by designing optimal collision avoidance maneuvers using a stochastic model... 

This paper is concerned with a distributed model predictive control (DMPC) method that is based on a distributed optimisation method with two-level architecture for communication. Feasibility (constraints satisfaction by the approximated solution), convergence and optimality of this distributed optimisation method are mathematically proved. For an automated irrigation channel, the satisfactory performance of the proposed DMPC method in attenuation of the undesired upstream transient error propagation and amplification phenomenon is illustrated and compared with the performance of another DMPC method that exploits a single-level architecture for communication. It is illustrated that the DMPC... 

In this article, two adaptive model predictive controllers (AMPC) are applied to regulate the blood glucose in type 1 diabetic patients. The first controller is constructed based on a linear model, while the second one is designed by using a nonlinear Hammerstein model. The adaptive version of these control schemes is considered to make them more robust against model mismatches and external disturbances. The least squares method with forgetting factor is used to update the model parameters. For simulation study, two well-known mathematical models namely, Puckett and Hovorka which describe the dynamical behavior of patient's body have been selected. The performances and robustness of the... 

In this paper vehicle path-following in the presence of rollover risk is investigated. Vehicles with high centre of mass are prone to roll instability. Untripped rollover risk is increased in high centre of gravity vehicles and high-friction road condition. Researches introduce strategies to handle the short-duration rollover condition. In these researches, however, trajectory tracking is affected and not thoroughly investigated. This paper puts stress on tracking error from rollover prevention. A lower level model predictive front steering controller is adopted to deal with rollover and tracking error as a priority sequence. A brake control is included in lower level controller which... 

In this study, a new algorithm for explicit model predictive control of linear discrete-time systems subject to linear constraints, disturbances, uncertainties, and actuator faults is developed. The algorithm is based on dynamic programming, constraint rearrangement, multi-parametric programming, and a solution combination procedure. First of all, the dynamic programming is used to recast the problem as a multi-stage optimization problem. Afterwards, the constraints are rearranged in an innovative manner to take into account the worst admissible situation of unknown bounded disturbances, uncertainties, and actuator faults. Then, the explicit solution of the reformulated optimization problem... 

Efficient control of a gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process enables one to obtain high quality products as a consequence of achieving a high quality weld. Although control of the droplet detachment frequency in the welding process would play a great role in improving the welding quality, measuring this variable is difficult and expensive. In this paper, we attempt to control the frequency of droplet detachments without directly measuring it. To this end, we utilize the hybrid property of the GMAW process to indirectly control the frequency. Specifically, a mixed logical dynamical (MLD) model is obtained by considering the hybrid act of the process during droplet detachment. Then, a nonlinear...