Comparison of controller design methods for a scaled metro vehicle - flexible structure experiment

This paper addresses the design and implementation of different controllers on a 1/10 scaled flexible structure experiment of a metro vehicle car body. The particular controller design methods investigated are state vector feedback control combined with a Kalman-filter and the mu-synthesis procedure. Using experimental data it is shown, that with both design methods the structural response to disturbances can be reduced. Nevertheless, because of the fact that the mu-synthesis takes into account the uncertainty associated with the model of the structure as well as the fact that the performance variables to be controlled are not identical to the measurements a better performance is achieved in comparison to the state feedback controller. At the same time the control costs are considerably lower when the mu-synthesis controller is utilized.