Control of a loading bridge using nonlinear model predictive control

Abstract

In this paper, we apply a nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) approach to control a highly nonlin- ear loading bridge system. A multiple shooting com- bined with a collocation on finite elements is used to realize the NMPC. That means, the multiple shooting algorithm is used to convert the optimal control prob- lem to a nonlinear program (NLP). Thus, the degree of freedom of this NLP consists of a parameterized con- trols and initial conditions of the state trajectories in each subinterval. The collocation on finite elements is used to computethe state variables and their gradientat the end of each subinterval. Applying this approach to control the loading bridge shows a high accuracy and computation efficiency for the integration of the model equation. The controlled loading bridge is considered to be disturbed in each feedback measurement. The numerical solution is realized in the framework of the numerical algorithm group (NAG) and IPOPT to solve the NLP pro