Middle East Technical University

Mechanical Engineering Department

1956

ME 507 APPLIED OPTIMAL CO#TROL

Spring 2016
Course Instructor: Dr. Blent E. Platin
TAKE HOME EXAMI#ATIO# 4
Date Assigned: April 26, 2016
Date Due: May 03, 2016 (by 14:30 hours sharp at G-202)
(Please use the cover page when submitting your solution set)
PROBLEM 1: For the linear system
0 1
1 0
x& =
x+

u
0 0
0 1
Find and plot the optimal control u(t) and the optimal state x(t) for which the system is
transferred from the initial state xT(0)=[1 1] to the final state xT(2)=[0 free] while minimizing
the following performance index:
P.I. =

(u12 + u 22 ) dt
0

PROBLEM 2: For the linear system

1
0
0
x& =
x + u

2 3
1
find and plot the optimal control u(t) and the optimal states x(t) for which the following
performance index is minimized
1 1 2
P.I. =
u dt
2 0
for xT(0) = [1 1] and x1(1) = x2(1).

PROBLEM 3: One of the classical problems in optimal control area is, so-called Zermelo's
Problem, related to the determination of minimum time paths through a region of position
dependent velocity. Consider a boat, which must travel through a region of strong currents. The
magnitude and direction of the currents are known functions as
u = u(x,y)
v = v(x,y)
where (x,y) represents the position of the boat in rectangular coordinates, and (u,v) are the
r
components of the current velocity v( x , y) in the x and y directions, respectively. The magnitude
r
of the velocity V of the boat relative to water is V, a constant, and it is assumed that this
velocity is in the forward direction of boat's longitudinal axis.
The task in this problem is to steer the boat in such a way as to minimize the time necessary to
go from a point A(xA,yA) to a point B(xB,yB). The heading angle of the boat's longitudinal axis
relative to the fixed coordinate axes is the control variable.

ME507/Platin/16S-TH4

Page 1 / 4

y
B

y
B

boat

A
y
A

v(x,y)
u(x,y)

x
x
x
A
B
Determine the set of state equations for solving for the position (x,y) of the boat. Hint: ote
that you need only kinematic relationships for this part.Use x and y as your states. becomes
the input to the system. u(x,y) and v(x,y) are some given functions representing the
components of the flow field.
Find the necessary conditions for the boat to move from point A to point B in a minimum
time. (Just give the necessary differential equations and boundary conditions. Do not try to
solve them)
If u(x,y)=Uo and v(x,y)=Vo, where Uo and Vo are some constants, discuss the characteristics
of the optimal steering angle o(t).
If Uo = 0 and Vo is a positive constant in part (c),
r
r r
r r
i) show the vectors v, V , and the absolute velocity of the boat Vboat = v + V on a vector
diagram under optimal conditions and
ii) determine the necessary conditions on the minimum possible size of V (i.e., the magnitude
r
of V ) for the existence of a minimum time solution, in terms of Vo and relative angular
position of B with respect to A only, when
o xA < xB and yA < yB
o xA < xB and yA > yB
0

a)

b)

c)
d)

PROBLEM 4: [Adapted from Problem 6.6-5 of D.G. Schultz and J.L. Melsa, State Functions
and Linear Control Systems, McGraw-Hill, 1967] One method of including an isoperimetric
constraint of the form

tf

g ( x , u , t ) dt = A
ti

is by defining a new state variable as

x n +1 ( t ) = g ( x , u , ) d
ti

therefore introducing a new state equation as

x& n +1 ( t ) = g( x, u, t )
with two new boundary conditions
xn+1(ti) = 0 and xn+1(tf) = A
Use this technique to find the optimal control for the system

ME507/Platin/16S-TH4

Page 2 / 4

1
0
0
x& =
x+ u

1 1
1
subject to the constraint that

T 2
u dt
0

= 10

which will transfer the system from the initial conditions xT(0) = [1 2], to the origin in minimum
time so that the performance index is
P.I. =

0 dt

PROBLEM 5: For the linear system

0 1
0
x& =
x + u

0 0
1
with the initial conditions xT(0)=[1 1] and final conditions xT(1)=[0 0],
a) Find and plot the optimal control u(t) such that the following performance index
P.I . =

u 2 dt

is minimized if there exists a constraint on u(t) as u(t) 5.

b) Speculate on the existence of an optimal solution if the constraint on u is given as u(t) 2.
IMPORTAT REMIDERS & WARIGS ABOUT TAKE HOME SOLUTIOS:
Your take home solutions must be concise but self explanatory, containing all the details of your
computations/derivations at each step without needing any interpretation of the reader, otherwise
will be considered as "incomplete".
All sources used should be properly referenced.
Basic matlab commands may be used in the solution of any problem. However, the use of special
commands given in matlab toolboxes is allowed only if it is indicated in a problem statement.
Otherwise, you are expected to work that problem by using hand calculations and/or basic matlab
commands. Results obtained from calculators or from any other software are not acceptable.
Provide all input (command line and/or code) and output (command line and/or plot) evidences of
matlab use in full detail as an integral part of the associated problem. Your answers based on
these results should also be presented in a conventional format especially when symbolic
expressions are involved. Try to use explanatory comment lines in your codes so that any novice
reader could understand your computational operations.
Solutions must be submitted in a written form prepared professionally, by hand writing using pen
(not pencil) if your hand writing is legible enough or by using a word processor on only one side
of clean, white papers of A4 size, numbered as [page #]/[total page #] and properly bound or
stapled or secured in a plastic holder (not all!); no disks or e-mail attachments are acceptable as
a full or partial content of your take home solutions. Do not forget to sign and use the special
cover page supplied at the end this assignment.
Definitely, no extensions will be given for the date/time of take-home submissions, in full or
partial.
Even though team-work type efforts are encouraged, they must not go beyond discussions on the
solution methods used and/or cross-checking the results of your number-crunching.
Therefore, every take home paper that you will be handing in should be personalized by fully and
correctly reflecting your own approaches and efforts in it.
Hence, all duplicate or lookalike solutions will be disregarded with some serious consequences. In
such a case, I will stop grading your solutions right away, you will be considered absent in the
course for the rest of the semester, and your thesis supervisor (or your department chair in case if
you do not have an official supervisor yet) will be notified all about the situation.
ME507/Platin/16S-TH4

Page 3 / 4

Middle East Technical University

Mechanical Engineering Department
1956

ME 507 APPLIED OPTIMAL CO#TROL

Spring 2016
Course Instructor: Dr. Blent E. Platin
TAKE HOME EXAMI#ATIO# 4
Date Assigned: April 26, 2016
Date Due: May 03, 2016 (by 14:30 hours sharp at G-202)
(Please use the cover page when submitting your solution set)

Student's #umber: ___________________________

Student's #ame and SUR#AME: ___________________________

I hereby declare that the solutions submitted under this cover are products of my own personal
efforts, wholly. Hence, they truly reflect my personal approaches and knowledge in the subject
areas of questions. If I used sources other than the textbook of this course, they have been
properly referenced. Neither my peer consultations nor any help which I got from others in any
form went beyond discussions on the solution methods used and/or cross-checking my findings.
I am fully aware of serious consequences of any deviations from the statements above as
evidenced by my solutions submitted.

Student's Signature: _____________________