A computational method for a class of optimal relaxed control problems

In the present paper, we propose a computational scheme for solving a class of optimal relaxed control problems, using the concept of control parametrization. Furthermore, some important convergence properties of the proposed computational scheme are investigated. For illustration, a numerical example is also included.     

Optimal control of a fine structure

An optimal control problem for a multivalued system governed by a nonconvex variational problem, involving a regularization parameter >0, is proposed and studied. The solution to the variational problem exhibits typically rapid oscillations (a so-called fine structure) corresponding to a multiphase state of the material. We want to control only this fine structure. Existence of an optimal control is proved. Its convergence with 0 is studied by means of an optimal control problem for a relaxed variational problem involving (suitably generalized) Young measures. The uniqueness of the solution to the relaxed variational problem, which is nontrivial but is very important in the context of optimal control, is studied in special cases. A finite-element approximation is proposed.The second author gratefully acknowledges support for this research by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation during his stay at the Institute for Mathematics of the University of Augsburg.     

Optimal control of a rotary crane

This paper is concerned with the optimal control of a rotary crane, which makes two kinds of motion (rotation and hoisting) at the same time. The optimal control which transfers a load to a desired place as fast as possible and minimizes the swing of the load during the transfer, as well as the swing at the end of transfer, is calculated on the basis of a dynamic model. A new computational technique is employed for computing the optimal control, and several numerical results are presented.The authors wish to thank Professor D. G. Hull and the reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions.     

Application of the method of multipliers to state space constrained optimal control problems with discrete time

The paper deals with convergence conditions of multiplier algorithms for solving optimal control problems with discrete time suggested by J. Bjbvonek in some earlier papers. In this approach the original state space constrained problem is converted into a control-constrained problem by introducing an additional control variable and an equality constraint which is taken into consideration by a multiplier method. Convergence conditions for the multiplier Iteration of global and local nature are given for exact and inexact solution of the subproblems.     

Optimal control of impulsive hybrid systems

In this paper, we deal with optimization techniques for a class of hybrid systems that comprise continuous controllable dynamics and impulses (jumps) in the state. Using the mathematical techniques of distributional derivatives and impulse differential equations, we rewrite the original hybrid control system as a system with autonomous location transitions. For the obtained auxiliary dynamical system and the corresponding optimal control problem (OCP), we apply the Lagrange approach and derive the reduced gradient formulas. Moreover, we formulate necessary optimality conditions for the above hybrid OCPs, and discuss the newly elaborated Pontryagin-type Maximum Principle for impulsive OCPs. As in the case of the conventional OCPs, the proposed first order optimization techniques provide a basis for constructive computational algorithms.     

A feasible directions algorithm for time-lag optimal control problems with control and terminal inequality constraints

A computational algorithm for a class of time-lag optimal control problems involving control and terminal inequality constraints is presented. The convergence properties of the algorithm is also investigated. To test the algorithm, an example is solved.This work was partially supported by the Australian Research Grant Committee.     

Optimal control of a competitive system with age-structure

We investigate optimal control of a first order partial differential equation (PDE) system representing a competitive population model with age structure. The controls are the proportions of the populations to be harvested, and the objective functional represents the profit from harvesting. The existence and unique characterization of the optimal control pair are established.     

Minimum-Time Control of a Crane with Simultaneous Traverse and Hoisting Motions

The problem of the minimum-time control of a crane having simultaneous traverse and hoisting motions is considered. We propose an approach that converts this problem into a finite-dimensional optimization problem via control parametrization with an appropriate basis function. Such an approach simplifies the treatment of the constraints and allows for the easy satisfaction of the endpoint constraints. This optimization problem is solved using a novel two-stage optimization process. Under additional conditions, the solution obtained from this process can be shown to be the optimum. When these conditions are not met, a near-optimal solution is obtained. Several numerical examples are provided, including the case where there is unequal cable length at the endpoints. The validity of the solution is verified experimentally on a test rig.     

Optimal control of unilateral obstacle problem with a source term

We consider an optimal control problem for the obstacle problem with an elliptic variational inequality. The obstacle function which is the control function is assumed in H². We use an approximate technique to introduce a family of problems governed by variational equations. We prove optimal solutions existence and give necessary optimality conditions. The author is grateful to Prof. M. Bergounioux for her instructive suggestions.     

Optimal Trajectories for Spacecraft Rendezvous

The efficient execution of a rendezvous maneuver is an essential component of various types of space missions. This work describes the formulation and numerical investigation of the thrust function required to minimize the time or fuel required for the terminal phase of the rendezvous of two spacecraft. The particular rendezvous studied concerns a target spacecraft in a circular orbit and a chaser spacecraft with an initial separation distance and separation velocity in all three dimensions. First, the time-optimal rendezvous is investigated followed by the fuel-optimal rendezvous for three values of the max-thrust acceleration via the sequential gradient-restoration algorithm. Then, the time-optimal rendezvous for given fuel and the fuel-optimal rendezvous for given time are investigated. There are three controls, one determining the thrust magnitude and two determining the thrust direction in space. The time-optimal case results in a two-subarc solution: a max-thrust accelerating subarc followed by a max-thrust braking subarc. The fuel-optimal case results in a four-subarc solution: an initial coasting subarc, followed by a max-thrust braking subarc, followed by another coasting subarc, followed by another max-thrust braking subarc. The time-optimal case with fuel given and the fuel-optimal case with time given result in two, three, or four-subarc solutions depending on the performance index and the constraints. Regardless of the number of subarcs, the optimal thrust distribution requires the thrust magnitude to be at either the maximum value or zero. The coasting periods are finite in duration and their length increases as the time to rendezvous increases and/or as the max allowable thrust increases. Another finding is that, for the fuel-optimal rendezvous with the time unconstrained, the minimum fuel required is nearly constant and independent of the max available thrust. Yet another finding is that, depending on the performance index, constraints, and initial conditions, sometime the initial application of thrust must be delayed, resulting in an optimal rendezvous trajectory which starts with a coasting subarc. This research has been supported by NSF under Grant CMS-0218878.     

Optimality conditions for the control of a double-membrane complex system by a modal decomposition technique

The optimal of damping out the oscillations of an elastically rectangular double-membrane system by means of point-wise actuators is solved analytically. The membrane is clamped along the boundaries. The motion of the system is initiated by given initial displacement and velocity conditions. The basic control problem is to minimize the deflection and the velocity of displacements at a specified time with the minimum expenditure of actuation energy. A quadratic performance functional is chosen as the cost functional which comprises the functionals of the deflection, velocity and the point-wise actuators. Necessary and sufficient conditions of optimality are investigated. The necessary conditions of optimality are obtained from a variational approach and formulated in the form of degenerate integrals which lead to explicit optimal control laws for the actuators. Numerical results are given for various problem parameters and the efficiency of the control mechanism is investigated.     

Time optimal control computation with application to ship steering

An efficient computational scheme for solving a general class of linear time optimal control problems, where the target set is a compact and convex set with nonempty interior in the state space, is presented. The scheme is applied to solve the ship steering control problem, and excellent results are obtained.     

OPTIMAL CONTROL FOR A TANDEM NETWORK OF QUEUES WITH BLOCKING

1.IntroductionWeconsideratwo-stationtandemqueuewithnointermediatebuffer.Jobsatthefirststationmaybeblockedwhenthefollowingstationisoccupiedbyanotherjob.Thatis,ajobisblockedatstationoneuponservicecompletionifthefollowingstationisbeingoccupiedbyanotherjob.Afixedcostischargedforeveryenteringjob,forexample,thiscostcanbetheinputrawmaterialcostinamanufacturingsystem.Jobsinthesystemaresubjecttoaholdingcost.Arewardiscollectedwhenajobdepartsfromthesystem(i.e.,fromthesecondstation).Theproblemistocontro…     

A Study on Abnormality in Variational and Optimal Control Problems

In this paper, a variational problem is considered with differential equality constraints over a variable interval. It is stressed that the abnormality is a local character of the admissible set; consequently, a definition of regularity related to the constraints characterizing the admissible set is given. Then, for the local minimum necessary conditions, a compact form equivalent to the well-known Euler equation and transversality condition is given. By exploiting this result and the previous definition of regularity, it is proved that nonregularity is a necessary and sufficient condition for an admissible solution to be an abnormal extremal. Then, a necessary and sufficient condition is given for an abnormal extremal to be weakly abnormal. The analysis of the abnormality is completed by considering the particular case of affine constraints over a fixed interval: in this case, the abnormality turns out to have a global character, so that it is possible to define an abnormal problem or a normal problem. The last section is devoted to the study of an optimal control problem characterized by differential constraints corresponding to the dynamics of a controlled process. The above general results are particularized to this problem, yielding a necessary and sufficient condition for an admissible solution to be an abnormal extremal. From this, a previously known result is recovered concerning the linearized system controllability as a sufficient condition to exclude the abnormality.     

Optimal control of a large turboalternator

The optimal torque and voltage control for a large turbogenerator is found by using the minimum norm formulation. It should be noted that the model used is highly nonlinear. Numerical results are presented.This work was supported in part by the National Research Council of Canada, Grant No. A4146.     

Optimal control problems on manifolds: a dynamic programming approach

Dynamic programming identifies the value function of continuous time optimal control with a solution to the Hamilton-Jacobi equation, appropriately defined. This relationship in turn leads to sufficient conditions of global optimality, which have been widely used to confirm the optimality of putative minimisers. In continuous time optimal control, the dynamic programming methodology has been used for problems with state space a vector space. However there are many problems of interest in which it is necessary to regard the state space as a manifold. This paper extends dynamic programming to cover problems in which the state space is a general finite-dimensional C^∞ manifold. It shows that, also in a manifold setting, we can characterise the value function of a free time optimal control problem as a unique lower semicontinuous, lower bounded, generalised solution of the Hamilton-Jacobi equation. The application of these results is illustrated by the investigation of minimum time controllers for a rigid pendulum.     

Closed-form solutions for a class of optimal quadratic tracking problems

Closed-from solutions are derived for a class of tracking problems including a linear optimal regulator and a prefilter for a time-invariant plant. The solutions for the prefilter equation and state trajectory, coupled by the Riccati equation, are exponentially related to the stability matrix of the plant. A computational procedure is presented in recursive form when the desired output state dynamics is assumed linear and time-invariant. Several examples are given for illustration.     

Closed-form recursive formula for an optimal tracker with terminal constraints

Feedback control laws are derived for a class of optimal finite time tracking problems with terminal constraints. Analytical solutions are obtained for the feedback gain and the closed-loop response trajectory. Such formulations are expressed in recursive forms so that a real-time computer implementation becomes feasible. An example involving the feedback slewing of a flexible spacecraft is given to illustrate the validity and usefulness of the formulations.