A general structure of specific optimal control (Q1312653)

The paper considers the problem of specific optimal control of nonlinear dynamic systems under control variable constraints. More specifically, a closed-loop structure with a number of free parameters being prescribed, the problem is to find optimal values of the parameters so as to minimize a cost criterion subject to the nonlinear state equations and the control constraints. The paper suggests a particular transformation of the specific optimal control problem that permits its solution via a software code COMMIN that was described in a previous publication. Application examples using the nonlinear dynamic Van der Pol equations demonstrate the accuracy of the solution for different closed-loop structures as compared to previously published results.