ME-GY 6703: Linear Control Theory and Design I

Prof. Alessandro Rizzo, Term: Fall 2015

Guidelines for Term Project

Due Date: Sunday, December 13, 2015 at 11PM.

There are 2 problems in this project. Do all problems. Matlab and Simulink use is essential in solving
many of the problems. However, provide as much analysis as possible when it can be done without
Matlab and then provide additional Matlab based results. This will improve your overall understanding of
material and will allow you to judiciously evaluate Matlab results.

The project is to be done on an individual basis. No collaboration is allowed; so do not talk to others
when doing this work. Any violations of this guideline will result in an overall grade of 0 on the project
and will be reported to the university committee dealing with academic dishonesty.

The project report should be prepared professionally. Scanned hand-written work is acceptable. If you use
word processing software for your report (preferred option), carefully check the accuracy of your
mathematical analysis and equations.

All data in this problem set is given in consistent units. Provide all details of your work including
mathematical tools used, or you may not receive full credit.

Submit, via NYU Classes, a .zip file containing:

1) the Matlab/Simulink code used, properly commented for evaluation purposes. The code must run
“as it is”. You may provide instructions to run it.
2) A report, containing your analysis, the description of the procedures and mathematical tools used,
your results, relevant plots, etc.
Problem 1: Consider a simplified model of an armature controlled DC motor shown in Figure 1. The
electrical subsystem is characterized by:
d
L i (t ) + Ri (t ) = v(t ). (1)
dt
Furthermore, the rotational mechanical subsystem is characterized by:
d2 d
J 2 q(t ) + b q(t ) = t (t ), (2)
dt dt
where the motor torque is given by
t (t ) = kT i(t ) , (3)
and kT denotes the motor torque constant.

Figure 1: Armature Controlled DC Motor

Numerical values for the parameters of this system are as follows: inductance L=1H, resistance R=2Ω,
inertia J=1kg-m2, damping b=1N-m-s, and kT=2N-m/A. Answer all the following questions for this
system.
d
(a) Develop a state-space model with state variables x1 (t ) = q(t ), x2 (t ) = q(t ), and x3 (t ) = i(t ),
dt
input u(t)=v(t), and output y(t)=θ(t).1 (1pt)

(b) Using the governing equations (1)—(3), develop the transfer function model, i.e., obtain G(s) such

that Q ( s) = G ( s )V ( s ), X(s) ≡ L [x(t)].1 (1pt)

(c) Using Matlab, obtain the transfer function model for the state-space description obtained in (a).
Compare with your result in (b) and comment. (1pt)

(d) Analytically obtain a state-space model for this system from the transfer function obtained in (b).
d d2
Specifically, use state variables q1 (t ) = q(t ), q2 (t ) = q(t ), and q3 (t ) = 2 q(t ) .1 Which
dt dt
decomposition technique will yield the state-space model with the aforementioned state variables?
Justify your answer by a complete derivation. (1pt)

(e) Determine whether the state matrix A obtained in (a) is diagonalizable. If yes, obtain a diagonal
realization for the state-space model of (a). (1pt)

(f) Determine whether the state matrix  obtained in (d) is diagonalizable. If yes, obtain a diagonal
realization for the state-space model of (d). (1pt)

1
Provide answer in symbolic and numerical format.
(g) Compare the diagonal realizations of (e) and (f). Are they same? Comment on and explain any
differences. (1pt)

(h) Compute the controllability and observability matrices for the state-space realization of (a) and
determine whether the system is controllable/observable. (1pt)

(i) Can you establish controllability and observability of this system by inspecting the transfer function
obtained in (b)? How? (1pt)

(j) Establish the controllability and observability of this system by inspecting the diagonal realization
obtained in (e). (1pt)

(k) Using the numerical recipe given in Lecture 9, transform the state-space description of (a) to the
controller canonical form. Compare your result to the result in (d) and comment. (2pt)

(l) Simulate the state-space model of (a) for 8 seconds. Let the initial condition be zero and the input be a
unit step. Provide simulation plots for all three states and comment on the observed behavior of the
three states. (2pt)

(m) For the system dynamics of (a), assuming the availability of the entire state vector [ x1 x2 x3 ]T for
feedback, design a full-state feedback controller u(t)=-Kx(t), so that the eigenvalues of the closed-
loop state matrix (A-BK) are located at -4, -12, and -13. Perform the control design analytically and
using Matlab. Compare simulation response of all three states for open-loop and closed-loop cases.2
(3pt)

(n) For the system dynamics of (a), design a full-order observer so that the eigenvalues of the observer
error dynamics (A-LC) are located at -40, -120, and -130. Investigate the observer performance using
x0=[0 0 0]T and xe0=[0.001 0 0]T, i.e., provide simulation plots for the observer error e(t)=x(t)-xe(t).
Next, obtain closed-loop system’s state response by using state estimates for feedback (i.e.,
u(t)=Kxe(t) with K obtained in (m)). Compare the responses3 for the following three cases open-loop,
full-state feedback closed-loop, and observer-based feedback closed-loop. (3pt)

2
Use initial conditions and input as in (l) above.
3
Use x0=[0 0 0]T, xe0=[0.001 0 0]T, and input as in (l) above.
Problem 2: The linearized dynamics of a rotary inverted pendulum (Figure 2) has the following state-
space description:

where τ denotes the motor torque characterized by

Va denotes the voltage input applied to the motor, and ω ℓ " θ# . The physical setup is equipped with
sensors to measure θ and α.

(a) Develop a state-space model with [θ α θ! α! ]T as the state vector, Va as the input, and θ and α as
outputs. Use numerical values for various physical parameters given in Table 1. (1pt)

(b) For the state-space model obtained in (a), assuming the availability of the entire state vector
[θ α θ! α! ]T for feedback, design a full-state feedback controller u(t)=-Kx(t), so that the eigenvalues
of the closed-loop state matrix (A-BK) are located at:
-1.2655×102, -0.0211×102, (-0.0248 ± 0.0201i) ×102.
Perform the control design using Matlab. Compare simulation response of α for the open-loop and
closed-loop cases. Use x0 =[pi/180 3*pi/180 0 0] T. (3pt)

(c) For the system dynamics of (a), design a full-order observer so that the eigenvalues of the observer
error dynamics (A-LC) are located at -25, -30, -35, and -1000. Next, obtain closed-loop system’s state
response by using state estimates for feedback (i.e., u(t)=-Kxe(t) with K obtained in (b)). Compare the
responses for the following three cases open-loop, full-state feedback closed-loop, and observer-based
feedback closed-loop. Also, provide simulation plots for the observer error, i.e., e(t)=x(t)-xe(t). Use x0
=[pi/180 3*pi/180 0 0] T and xe0 =[0 5*pi/180 0 0] T. (3pt)

(d) Develop an augmented state-space model to address the problem of stabilizing the rotary inverted
pendulum while allowing the arm position θ to track a desired set point. For this model, design a full-
state feedback controller so that the eigenvalues of the closed-loop state matrix are located at:
-21.7167 ± 9.7989i, -2.6066 ± 1.6611i, -0.4018.
Perform the control design using Matlab. Compare simulation response of α and θ for open-loop and
closed-loop cases. Use all initial conditions as zero and use desired set point for arm position θ to be
20°, i.e., 20*pi/180 radians. Note that in the given model and problem data, we have used radians as
units for angles (θ, α) and radians/sec for time derivatives of angles (θ!, α! ). (3pt)
Table 1: Numerical values for the physical parameters of the rotary inverted pendulum

0.0049833

Figure 2: Rotary inverted pendulum system