Nonlinear position control of electro-hydraulic servo system based on lyapunov robust integral backstepping controller

Abstract

In electro-hydraulic servo systems (EHSS), high nonlinearity and time-varying features limit the hydraulic actuator performance. In feedback-based systems, linearization reduces nonlinearities. Their cancellation may produce instability when modeling uncertainty exists. This work uses a robust nonlinear controller based on Lyapunov theory to control the nonlinear position of the electro-hydraulic servo system (EHSS). The dynamics of the system were modeled as extensively as possible, and then a simplified mathematical model based on the EHSS dynamics was created for the controller design. Integral backstepping was used to design the nonlinear robust controller utilizing the Lyapunov theory of nonlinear systems. Lyapunov functions theoretically ensured closed-loop stability. Comparative simulation analysis and experimental investigation in real-time with the proportional integral derivative (PID) controller optimized offline for position tracking control were carried out. Besides tracking performance and steady-state error, the mean square error (MSE), the root mean square error (RMSE), the maximum absolute value of tracking errors and the standard deviation of tracking errors (σ) was utilized to evaluate the controllers’ performance. The simulation analysis and experimental verification were accomplished under various sinusoidal trajectories using different testing conditions (amplitudes, frequencies, and external disturbance), in all testing conditions the effectiveness of the robust nonlinear integral backstepping controller was demonstrated.