MRAC and MPC Controllers for Load Application System of the Accelerated Testing Equipment of Pavements

Abstract

For the study of pavement structures, different methodologies and devices have been used and those have been modified and modernized. The development of these routes directly impacts the social and economic development of the different regions. Through the roads, the interconnection between different points is allowed, and the resources that need to be invested for its construction are high. Trends show real-scale studies to determine real operating parameters that allow improving design processes. For this reason, test devices have been developed that simulating real operating conditions, but these machines require robust and efficient control. Adaptive and predictive controls are the most used in industrial processes, where it is necessary to reduce performance and operation costs—obtaining smooth transitions in the control signal, especially when techniques are used with follow-up to reference models. This document shows the design of the MRAC (Adaptive Reference Control Model) and MPC (Predictive Control Model) controller applied to a hydraulic loading system for real-scale pavement test equipment. The mathematical development of the plant and the controllers is presented, along with its implementation, simulation, and analysis. The main objective of this work is to verify the effectiveness of these controllers for this type of real scale system since due to the number of variables that affect these devices and the complexity of the study material.