NEAR-MINIMUM-TIME CONTROL OF DISTRIBUTED PARAMETER-SYSTEMS - ANALYTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

We present a method for generating globally stable feedback control laws for maneuvers of distributed parameter structural systems. The method can accommodate system nonlinearity, and our proof of Lyapunov stability does not rely upon spatially discretizing distributed parameter systems. The approach applies directly to controllable distributed parameter systems that are open-loop conservative or dissipative. The most fundamental version of the formulation leads to controls that drive the system to a fixed point in the state space, but more generally, we develop tracking-type control laws to null the departure of the system state from a smooth target trajectory. Both analytical developments and experimental results are presented. The analytical results provide a theoretical foundation for the approach, whereas the experimental results provide conclusive evidence that the approach can be efficiently realized in actual hardware.