Exercises on Exact Linearization

Nonlinear Control Systems

1. I/O- und I/S-Linearizability

Consider the following system

ẋ1 = x2 − x3
ẋ2 = −x1 x3 − 2x2 + u
ẋ3 = x1 + u

Investigate this system with each of the following potential outputs:

a) y = x1
b) y = x2
c) y = x3
d) y = x2 + x3 .

A) For which of these outputs is the system exactly I/S linearizable in a neighborhood of the
origin?
B) For which of these outputs is the system exactly I/O linearizable in a neighborhood of the
origin?

2. Controller Design by Exact Linearization:

Design a controller for the following systems using exact I/O-linearization according to the follo-
wing procedure:

i) Determine the relative degree ν with respect to the output y!

ii) Transform the system to normal form!
iii) Perform exact I/O-linearization and design a state feedback that makes the output follow
stepwise reference signals r(t) near the equilibrium yeq asymptotically with time constant τ
and damping constant d!

a)

ẋ1 = x3 − u
ẋ2 = x1 + x22
ẋ3 = x2 − 2x3 + u
y = x2
yeq = 0

τ = 0.1 s
d = 1

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 b)

ẋ1 = −x1 + 2x2

ẋ2 = x21 + x3 + u
ẋ3 = −4x3 + x22 + u
y = x1
yeq = 0

(Design the controller for a general time constant τ and damping constant d!)

3. Consider an electrical engine whose dynamics are well described by

ẋ1 = −ax1 + u (1)

ẋ2 = −bx2 + k − cx1 x3 (2)
ẋ3 = θx1 x2 (3)

where x1 and x2 are currents and x3 is the angular rate. The constants a, b, c, k and θ are positive.
For speed control, consider the output y = x3 .

(a) Determine the relative degree ν of the system!

(b) Transform the system to (Byrnes-Isidori) normal form!
(c) Is the system I/O-linearizable?
(d) Is the system I/S-linearizable? (Bonus: If yes, determine a flat output!)

4. Consider the open-loop system

2 + x23
ẋ1 = −x1 + u
1 + x23
ẋ2 = x3
ẋ3 = x1 x3 + u
y = x2 ,

which has an equilibrium at the origin.

(a) Determine the relative degree ν of the system!

(b) Is the system I/O-linearizable?
(c) Transform the system to (Byrnes-Isidori) normal form!

5. Consider the system

ẋ1 = x1 x2
ẋ2 = x1 + u.

(a) Is the system I/O-linearizable for y = x1 ?

(b) Is the system I/O-linearizable for y = x2 ?
(c) Can the system be exactly I/S-linearized in a neighborhood of the origin?

6. For the vector fields

   
x2 0
f (x) = , g(x) =
− sin x1 − x2 x1

determine the Lie brackets adf g(x) = [f , g](x) and ad2f g(x) = [f , adf g(x)](x)!

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 7. Investigate whether the distribution ∆ = span{f 1 , f 2 } with
   
2x2 1
f 1 (x) =  1  , f 2 (x) =  0 
0 x2

is involutive in D = R3 !

8. Investigate whether the distribution ∆ = span{f 1 , f 2 } with

   
2x3 −x1
f 1 (x) =  −1  , f 2 (x) = −2x2 
0 x3

is involutive in the region D = {x ∈ R3 |x21 + x23 6= 0}!

9. Consider the system    

a sin x2 0
ẋ = 2 + u.
−x1 1
Is the system exactly I/S-linearizable? If yes, determine a flat output!

10. Consider the system

ẋ1 = x21 + x2 ,
ẋ2 = x23 + u,
ẋ3 = x21 + x1 + x2 .

Investigate the system near the equilibrium x0 = 0, u0 = 0.

(a) Show that the system is I/S-linearizable (test of rank and involutivity conditions)!
(b) Determine a flat output for the system!
(c) Design an output tracking controller by exact I/S-linearization for the flat output! Provide the
state feedback law in x-coordinates. Which conditions must the reference signal yd fulfill?.
(d) Given the output y = h(x) = x3 . Transform the system to normal form for the output
y = x3 ! Is the system I/O-linearizable for this output? If necessary, investigate the stability
of the zero dynamics!