Adaptive neural integral sliding‐mode control for tracking control of fully actuated uncertain surface vessels

This paper develops a novel adaptive neural integral sliding‐mode control to enhance the tracking performance of fully actuated uncertain surface vessels. The proposed method is built based on an integrating between the benefits of the approximation capability of neural network (NN) and the high robustness and precision of the integral sliding‐mode control (ISMC). In this paper, the design of NN, which is used to approximate the unknown dynamics, is simplified such that just only one simple adaptive rule is needed. The ISMC, which can eliminate the reaching phase and offer higher tracking performance compared to the conventional sliding‐mode control, is designed such that the system robust against the approximation error and stabilize the whole system. The design procedure of the proposed controller is constructed according to the backstepping control technique so that the stability of the closed‐loop system is guaranteed based on Lyapunov criteria. The proposed method is then tested on a simulated vessel system using computer simulation and compared with other state‐of‐the‐art methods. The comparison results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed approach.     

Sliding mode PI control with backstepping approach for MIMO nonlinear cross‐coupled tank systems

The control of tank systems in industrial applications is an important issue for monitoring the chemical processes involved in the manufacture and delivery of product. The most important reason to control the tank systems is to keep the liquid level in the tanks constant and at the desired level for a specified period of time. In this study, the sliding mode control (SMC) with a repetitive approach called backstepping that is insensitive to uncertainties in system parameters and input disturbances is proposed and experimentally applied to a quadruple, cross‐coupled, uncertain, nonlinear, and multiple‐input/multiple‐output tank system. A proportional‐integral (PI) control is used to reduce the steady‐state error caused by the parameter variations and external noises. The traditional way of introducing PI usually leads to sliding surfaces. In this paper, the PI action is introduced to the control signal. The proposed backstepping sliding mode PI control (BSMPIC) is applied to such a complex tank system for the first time. The experimental results are compared with those of the SMC, sliding mode PI control, and backstepping sliding mode control to see the effect of the proposed BSMPIC on the system. As a result of the comparison, it is observed that less overshoot and tracking error, better tracking performance, and faster rise time in the transient regime is obtained by the BSMPIC.     

Straight‐Line Tracking Control of an Agricultural Vehicle with Finite‐Time Control Technique

For the agricultural vehicle straight‐line tracking system, three control algorithms based upon the finite‐time control technique have been proposed to force the vehicle to track a straight line. Without considering the lumped disturbance, a backstepping‐like finite‐time state‐feedback controller is first developed. On this basis, an adaptive state‐feedback controller in conjunction with integral sliding mode is further developed in the presence of the lumped disturbance. Finally, a sliding mode disturbance observer is given to estimate the lumped disturbance, and the composite control scheme is presented. Under the composite controller, the lumped disturbance can be compensated and thus the disturbance rejection property has been significantly improved. Simulation results verify the proposed control algorithms.     

A robust optimal sliding‐mode control approach for magnetic levitation systems

This paper presents a robust optimal sliding‐mode control approach for position tracking of a magnetic levitation system. First, a linear model that represents the nonlinear dynamics of the magnetic levitation system is derived by the feedback linearization technique. Then, the robust optimal sliding‐mode control developed from the linear model is proposed. In the proposed control scheme, the integral sliding‐mode control with robust optimal approach is developed to achieve the features of high performance in position tracking response and robustness to the matched and unmatched uncertainties. Simulation and experimental results from the computer‐controlled magnetic levitation system are illustrated to show the validity of the proposed control approach for practical applications. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society     

Fast terminal sliding‐mode finite‐time tracking control with differential evolution optimization algorithm using integral chain differentiator in uncertain nonlinear systems

This paper presents a fast terminal sliding‐mode tracking control for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems with unknown parameters and system states combined with time‐varying disturbances. Fast terminal sliding‐mode finite‐time tracking systems based on differential evolution algorithms incorporate an integral chain differentiator (ICD) to feedback systems for the estimation of the unknown system states. The differential evolution optimization algorithm using ICD is also applied to a tracking controller, which provides unknown parametric estimation in the limitation of unknown system states for trajectory tracking. The ICD in the tracking systems strengthens the tracking controller robustness for the disturbances by filtering noises. As a powerful finite‐time control effort, the fast terminal sliding‐mode tracking control guarantees that all tracking errors rapidly converge to the origin. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is verified via simulations, and the results exhibit high‐precision output tracking performance in uncertain nonlinear systems.     

Super‐Twisting Observer‐Based Integral Sliding Mode Control for Tracking the Rapid Acceleration of a Piston in a Hybrid Electro‐Hydraulic and Pneumatic System

A new hybrid electro‐hydraulic and pneumatic actuator system and its dynamic model for high‐performance control are presented. This work focuses on tracking control of rapidly changing acceleration that is an advanced area with various practical applications in industries. The impact motion control of the actuator is one of challenging task due to the system instability during the transition state. Since composite disturbances derived from the inaccurate and unmodeled dynamics considerably reduce the control performance. A novel structure of variable integral sliding mode controls integrated with a sliding mode disturbance observer is proposed based on the super‐twisting algorithm. With the control strategy, not only does the controller overcome the extreme sensitivity of the system during rapid movements, but it also eliminates the internal parameter uncertainties and external load disturbance while tracking rapid gain‐scheduled acceleration. The results of the numerical simulation and field experiment are presented to assess the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.     

Nonlinear control of three‐dimensional underactuated vehicles

This paper presents the derivation of robust trajectory‐tracking nonlinear control laws for general three‐dimensional vehicle models with one degree of underactuation where all of the state tracking errors are stabilized. The method is based on a novel transformation of the trajectory tracking problem into a reduced‐order error dynamics. Two traditional nonlinear controllers based on sliding mode and backstepping approaches are developed and shown to stabilize the trajectory tracking errors in presence of modeling uncertainties and bounded disturbances. The performance of the two controllers are compared in absence and presence of disturbances.     

Adaptive integral backstepping sliding mode control for opto-electronic tracking system based on modified LuGre friction model

In order to improve the control accuracy and stability of opto-electronic tracking system fixed on reef or airport under friction and external disturbance conditions, adaptive integral backstepping sliding mode control approach with friction compensation is developed to achieve accurate and stable tracking for fast moving target. The nonlinear observer and slide mode controller based on modified LuGre model with friction compensation can effectively reduce the influence of nonlinear friction and disturbance of this servo system. The stability of the closed-loop system is guaranteed by Lyapunov theory. The steady-state error of the system is eliminated by integral action. The adaptive integral backstepping sliding mode controller and its performance are validated by a nonlinear modified LuGre dynamic model of the opto-electronic tracking system in simulation and practical experiments. The experiment results demonstrate that the proposed controller can effectively realise the accuracy and stability control of opto-electronic tracking system.     

Robust nonovershooting tracking control for fractional‐order systems

A robust tracking control is proposed for the fractional‐order systems (FOSs) to achieve a tracking response with no overshoot, even in the presence of a class of disturbances. The control proposed makes use of a newly designed integral sliding mode technique for FOSs, which is capable of rejecting the bounded disturbances acting through the input channel. The proposed integral sliding mode control design has two components: a nominal control component and a discontinuous control component. The overshoot in the system response is avoided by the nominal control designed with the use of Moore's eigenstructure assignment algorithm. The sliding mode technique is used for the design of discontinuous part of the control that imparts the desired robustness properties.     

Data‐driven robust backstepping control of unmanned surface vehicles

In this article, a novel data‐driven robust backstepping control (DRBC) approach for tracking of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) with uncertainties and unknown parametric dynamics has been developed. Main contributions are fourfold: (a) Unlike previous approaches, within the DRBC scheme, backstepping decoupled technique and data‐driven sliding‐mode control (DSMC) can be effectively cohered. (b) Using backstepping philosophy, a new data‐driven PI‐type sliding‐mode surface is devised, such that strong robustness with simple structure can be ensured. (c) Complex unknowns including couplings, uncertainties and parametric dynamics are sufficiently lumped, and are totally compensated by the extended state observer. (d) The entire DRBC scheme eventually achieves accurate tracking of USVs with strong couplings, uncertainties and unknown parametric dynamics. The efficacy and superiority of the proposed DRBC approach is validated on a prototype USV.