Safe and High-Performance Control Allocation

Abstract

This paper focuses on the control of nonlinear systems with redundant actuation, where the number of actuators is higher than the controllable degrees of freedom. To effectively handle actuation redundancy, we propose a control allocation (CA) approach that combines numerical optimization methods with control Lyapunov and control barrier functions. The inclusion of control Lyapunov functions enhances the CAs ability to minimize performance loss in the presence of unattainable virtual inputs. The integration of barrier functions allows the CA to exploit actuation redundancy to enforce safety constraints. The proposed approach is applied to the control of an over-actuated system, demonstrating superior transient and safety properties when compared to classical CA algorithms.