Optimal control of structures subjected to traveling load

The problem of the optimal semi-active control of a structure subjected to a moving load is studied. The control is realized by a change of damping of the structure’s supports. The objective is to provide a smooth passage for vehicles and extend the time needed for the safety service of the carrying structures. In contrast to the previous works of the author, in this paper, the model used takes into account time-varying passage speeds, which allows a broader application, in particular, to robotics. The study of the optimal control problem produces a practical condition that justifies whether, for a given set of parameters, the controlled system can outperform its passively damped equivalent. For the optimization, an efficient method of parametrized switching times is developed and tested via a numerical example. The designed optimal control is examined on a real test stand. The experiments are carried out for three different passage scenarios. In terms of the assumed metrics the proposed method outperforms the passive case by over 40%.