Control of bifurcations in multidimensional parameter space for servo-hydraulic systems

Hydraulic systems offer significant advantages in motion and force control systems from the standpoint of high force and power capacities. These drives also have significant nonlinear characteristics. These nonlinear servo-hydraulic systems exhibit loss of stability via bifurcations. Multiple parameter bifurcation theory can be used to map the bifurcation behavior of the servo-hydraulic systems in parametric space. The study of servo-hydraulic systems would consist of the actuator dynamics, valve dynamics and any line and load dynamics. This work is an effort to investigate the effects of valve dynamics and actuator dynamics on the stability behavior of the servohydraulic systems and the effect of various feedback controllers in the control of bifurcation. The effect of feedback controller parameters is to delay the bifurcations and increase the performance of the servo-hydraulic systems by pushing the stability boundary. Investigation and characterization of the nonlinear robust stability and the effect of various feedback control structures is the principal long-term goal of this work.