Modal control of a class of distributed-parameter systems†

The theory of the modal control of lumped-parameter systems is extended to embrace the modal control of a class of distributed-parameter systems. In the interests of perspicuity, this extension is restricted in the present paper to the development of a theory for the assignment of only one real eigenvalue. The practical implementation of theoretically derived modal control laws is discussed and numerical results relating to the modal control of a system governed by a one-dimensional diffusion equation are presented by way of example.