Design of Integral Controllers for Nonlinear Systems Governed by Scalar Hyperbolic Partial Differential Equations

The paper deals with the control and regulation by integral controllers forthe nonlinear systems governed by scalar quasi-linear hyperbolic partial differentialequations. Both the control input and the measured output are located on the boundary.The closed-loop stabilization of the linearized model with the designed integral controlleris proved first by using the method of spectral analysis and then by the Lyapunov directmethod. Based on the elaborated Lyapunov function we prove local exponential stabilityof the nonlinear closed-loop system with the same controller. The output regulationto the set-point with zero static error by the integral controller is shown uponthe nonlinear system. Numerical simulations by the Preissmann scheme are carriedout to validate the robustness performance of the designed controllerto face to unknown constant disturbances

Stop-and-Go Suppression in Two-Class Congested Traffic

This paper develops boundary feedback control laws in order to damp out traffic oscillations in the congested regime of the linearized two-class Aw-Rascle (AR) traffic model. The macroscopic second-order two-class AR traffic model consists of four hyperbolic partial differential equations (PDEs) describing the dynamics of densities and velocities on freeway. The concept of area occupancy is used to express the traffic pressure and equilibrium speed relationship yielding a coupling between the two classes of vehicles. Each vehicle class is characterized by its own vehicle size and driver's behavior. The considered equilibrium profiles of the model represent evenly distributed traffic with constant densities and velocities of both classes along the investigated track section. After linearizing the model equations around those equilibrium profiles, it is observed that in the congested traffic one of the four characteristic speeds is negative, whereas the remaining three are positive. Backstepping control design is employed to stabilize the $4 \times 4$ heterodirectional hyperbolic PDEs. The control input actuates the traffic flow at outlet of the investigated track section and is realized by a ramp metering. A full-state feedback is designed to achieve finite time convergence of the density and velocity perturbations to the equilibrium at zero. This result is then combined with an anti-collocated observer design in order to construct an output feedback control law that damps out stop-and-go waves in finite time by measuring the velocities and densities of both vehicle classes at the inlet of the investigated track section. The performance of the developed controllers is verified by simulation

Output Feedback Control of Two-lane Traffic Congestion

This paper develops output feedback boundary control to mitigate traffic congestion of a unidirectional two-lane freeway segment. The macroscopic traffic dynamics are described by the Aw-Rascle-Zhang (ARZ) model respectively for both the fast and slow lanes. The traffic density and velocity of each of the two lanes are governed by coupled $2 \times 2$ nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations (PDEs). Lane-changing interactions between the two lanes lead to exchanging source terms between the two pairs second-order PDEs. Therefore, we are dealing with $4 \times 4$ nonlinear coupled hyperbolic PDEs. Based on driver's preference for the slow and fast lanes, a reference system of lane-specific uniform steady states in congested traffic is chosen. To stabilize traffic densities and velocities of both lanes to the steady states, two distinct variable speed limits (VSL) are applied at outlet boundary, controlling the traffic velocity of each lane. Using backstepping transformation, we map the coupled heterodirectional hyperbolic PDE system into a cascade target system, in which traffic oscillations are damped out through actuation of the velocities at the downstream boundary. Two full-state feedback boundary control laws are developed. We also design a collocated boundary observer for state estimation with sensing of densities at the outlet. Output feedback boundary controllers are obtained by combining the collocated observer and full-state feedback controllers. The finite time convergence to equilibrium is achieved for both the controllers and observer designs. Numerical simulations validate our design in two different traffic scenarios

PDE-Based Feedback Control of Freeway Traffic Flow via Time-Gap Manipulation of ACC-Equipped Vehicles

We develop a control design for stabilization of traffic flow in congested regime, based on an Aw-Rascle-Zhang-type (ARZ-type) Partial Differential Equation (PDE) model, for traffic consisting of both ACC-equipped (Adaptive Cruise Control-equipped) and manual vehicles. The control input is the value of the time-gap setting of ACC-equipped and connected vehicles, which gives rise to a problem of control of a 2x2 nonlinear system of first-order hyperbolic PDEs with in-domain actuation. The feedback law is designed in order to stabilize the linearized system, around a uniform, congested equilibrium profile. Stability of the closed-loop system under the developed control law is shown constructing a Lyapunov functional. Convective stability is also proved adopting an input-output approach. The performance improvement of the closed-loop system under the proposed strategy is illustrated in simulation, also employing four different metrics, which quantify the performance in terms of fuel consumption, total travel time, and comfort.Comment: Submitted to IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology on November 20, 2018. 8 page

Backstepping Stabilization of the Linearized Saint-Venant-Exner Model

Using the backstepping design, we achieve exponential stabilization of the coupled Saint-Venant-Exner (SVE) PDE model of water dynamics in a sediment-filled canal with arbitrary values of canal bottom slope, friction, porosity, and water-sediment interaction under subcritical or supercritical flow regime. The studied SVE model consists of two rightward convecting transport Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) and one leftward convecting transport PDE. A single boundary input control (with actuation located only at downstream) strategy is adopted. A full state feedback controller is firstly designed, which guarantees the exponential stability of the closed-loop control system. Then, an output feedback controller is designed based on the reconstruction of the distributed state with a backstepping observer. It also guarantees the exponential stability of the closed-loop control system. The flow regime depends on the dimensionless Froude number Fr, and both our controllers can deal with the subcritical (Fr 1) flow regime. They achieve the exponential stability results without any restrictive conditions in contrast to existing results.Comment: 16 pages, 19 figures, Submitted to Automatic

All Mach Number Second Order Semi-Implicit Scheme for the Euler Equations of Gasdynamics

This paper presents an asymptotic preserving (AP) all Mach number finite volume shock capturing method for the numerical solution of compressible Euler equations of gas dynamics. Both isentropic and full Euler equations are considered. The equations are discretized on a staggered grid. This simplifies flux computation and guarantees a natural central discretization in the low Mach limit, thus dramatically reducing the excessive numerical diffusion of upwind discretizations. Furthermore, second order accuracy in space is automatically guaranteed. For the time discretization we adopt an Semi-IMplicit/EXplicit (S-IMEX) discretization getting an elliptic equation for the pressure in the isentropic case and for the energy in the full Euler equations. Such equations can be solved linearly so that we do not need any iterative solver thus reducing computational cost. Second order in time is obtained by a suitable S-IMEX strategy taken from Boscarino et al. in [6]. Moreover, the CFL stability condition is independent of the Mach number and depends essentially on the fluid velocity. Numerical tests are displayed in one and two dimensions to demonstrate performances of our scheme in both compressible and incompressible regimes

Steady-State Electrical Conduction in the Periodic Lorentz Gas

We study nonequilibrium steady states in the Lorentz gas of periodic scatterers when an external field is applied and the particle kinetic energy is held fixed by a ``thermostat'' constructed according to Gauss' principle of least constraint (a model problem previously studied numerically by Moran and Hoover). The resulting dynamics is reversible and deterministic, but does not preserve Liouville measure. For a sufficiently small field, we prove the following results: (1) existence of a unique stationary, ergodic measure obtained by forward evolution of initial absolutely continuous distributions, for which the Pesin entropy formula and Young's expression for the fractal dimension are valid; (2) exact identity of the steady-state thermodyamic entropy production, the asymptotic decay of the Gibbs entropy for the time-evolved distribution, and minus the sum of the Lyapunov exponents; (3) an explicit expression for the full nonlinear current response (Kawasaki formula); and (4) validity of linear response theory and Ohm's transport law, including the Einstein relation between conductivity and diffusion matrices. Results (2) and (4) yield also a direct relation between Lyapunov exponents and zero-field transport (=diffusion) coefficients. Although we restrict ourselves here to dimension $d=2,$ the results carry over to higher dimensions and to some other physical situations: e.g. with additional external magnetic fields. The proofs use a well-developed theory of small perturbations of hyperbolic dynamical systems and the method of Markov sieves, an approximation of Markov partitions. In our context we discuss also the van Kampen objection to linear response theory, which, we point out, overlooks the ``structural stability'' of strongly hyperbolic flows.Comment: CYCLER Paper 93feb00

Bilateral Boundary Control of Moving Shockwave in LWR Model of Congested Traffic

We develop backstepping state feedback control to stabilize a moving shockwave in a freeway segment under bilateral boundary actuations of traffic flow. A moving shockwave, consisting of light traffic upstream of the shockwave and heavy traffic downstream, is usually caused by changes of local road situations. The density discontinuity travels upstream and drivers caught in the shockwave experience transitions from free to congested traffic. Boundary control design in this paper brings the moving shockwave front to a static setpoint position, hindering the upstream propagation of traffic congestion. The traffic dynamics are described with Lighthill-Whitham-Richard (LWR) model, leading to a system of two first-order hyperbolic partial differential equations (PDEs). Each represents the traffic density of a spatial domain segregated by the moving interface. By Rankine-Hugoniot condition, the interface position is driven by flux discontinuity and thus governed by a PDE state dependent ordinary differential equation (ODE). For the PDE-ODE coupled system. the control objective is to stabilize both the PDE states of traffic density and the ODE state of moving shock position to setpoint values. Using delay representation and backstepping method, we design predictor feedback controllers to cooperatively compensate state-dependent input delays to the ODE. From Lyapunov stability analysis, we show local stability of the closed-loop system in $H^1$ norm. The performance of controllers is demonstrated by numerical simulation

Adding integral action for open-loop exponentially stable semigroups and application to boundary control of PDE systems

The paper deals with output feedback stabilization of exponentially stable systems by an integral controller. We propose appropriate Lyapunov functionals to prove exponential stability of the closed-loop system. An example of parabolic PDE (partial differential equation) systems and an example of hyperbolic systems are worked out to show how exponentially stabilizing integral controllers are designed. The proof is based on a novel Lyapunov functional construction which employs the forwarding techniques

Reinforcement Learning versus PDE Backstepping and PI Control for Congested Freeway Traffic

We develop reinforcement learning (RL) boundary controllers to mitigate stop-and-go traffic congestion on a freeway segment. The traffic dynamics of the freeway segment are governed by a macroscopic Aw-Rascle-Zhang (ARZ) model, consisting of $2\times 2$ quasi-linear partial differential equations (PDEs) for traffic density and velocity. Boundary stabilization of the linearized ARZ PDE model has been solved by PDE backstepping, guaranteeing spatial $L^2$ norm regulation of the traffic state to uniform density and velocity and ensuring that traffic oscillations are suppressed. Collocated Proportional (P) and Proportional-Integral (PI) controllers also provide stability guarantees under certain restricted conditions, and are always applicable as model-free control options through gain tuning by trail and error, or by model-free optimization. Although these approaches are mathematically elegant, the stabilization result only holds locally and is usually affected by the change of model parameters. Therefore, we reformulate the PDE boundary control problem as a RL problem that pursues stabilization without knowing the system dynamics, simply by observing the state values. The proximal policy optimization, a neural network-based policy gradient algorithm, is employed to obtain RL controllers by interacting with a numerical simulator of the ARZ PDE. Being stabilization-inspired, the RL state-feedback boundary controllers are compared and evaluated against the rigorously stabilizing controllers in two cases: (i) in a system with perfect knowledge of the traffic flow dynamics, and then (ii) in one with only partial knowledge. We obtain RL controllers that nearly recover the performance of the backstepping, P, and PI controllers with perfect knowledge and outperform them in some cases with partial knowledge