Nonsmooth Methods for Control Design with Integral Quadratic Constraints

We develop an optimization technique to compute local solutions to synthesis problems subject to integral quadratic constraints (IQCs). We use the fact that IQCs may be transformed into semi-infinite maximum eigenvalue constraints over the frequency axis and approach them via nonsmooth optimization methods. We develop a suitable spectral bundle method and prove its convergence in … Read more

Error estimates for the Euler discretization of an optimal control problem with first-order state constraints

We study the error introduced in the solution of an optimal control problem with first order state constraints, for which the trajectories are approximated with a classical Euler scheme. We obtain order one approximation results in the $L^\infty$ norm (as opposed to the order 2/3 obtained in the literature). We assume either a strong second … Read more

Linear conic optimization for inverse optimal control

We address the inverse problem of Lagrangian identification based on trajectories in the context of nonlinear optimal control. We propose a general formulation of the inverse problem based on occupation measures and complementarity in linear programming. The use of occupation measures in this context offers several advantages from the theoretical, numerical and statistical points of … Read more

Semi-definite relaxations for optimal control problems with oscillation and concentration effects

Converging hierarchies of finite-dimensional semi-definite relaxations have been proposed for state-constrained optimal control problems featuring oscillation phenomena, by relaxing controls as Young measures. These semi-definite relaxations were later on extended to optimal control problems depending linearly on the control input and typically featuring concentration phenomena, interpreting the control as a measure of time with a … Read more

Preconditioning of Active-Set Newton Methods for PDE-constrained Optimal Control Problems

We address the problem of preconditioning a sequence of saddle point linear systems arising in the solution of PDE-constrained optimal control problems via active-set Newton methods, with control and (regularized) state constraints. We present two new preconditioners based on a full block matrix factorization of the Schur complement of the Jacobian matrices, where the active-set … Read more

Linear conic optimization for nonlinear optimal control

Infinite-dimensional linear conic formulations are described for nonlinear optimal control problems. The primal linear problem consists of finding occupation measures supported on optimal relaxed controlled trajectories, whereas the dual linear problem consists of finding the largest lower bound on the value function of the optimal control problem. Various approximation results relating the original optimal control … Read more

Steplength Thresholds for Invariance Preserving of Discretization Methods of Dynamical Systems on a Polyhedron

Steplength thresholds for invariance preserving of three types of discretization methods on a polyhedron are considered. For Taylor approximation type discretization methods we prove that a valid steplength threshold can be obtained by finding the first positive zeros of a finite number of polynomial functions. Further, a simple and efficient algorithm is proposed to numerically … Read more

A Novel Unified Approach to Invariance in Control

In this paper, we propose a novel, unified, general approach to investigate sufficient and necessary conditions under which four types of convex sets, polyhedra, polyhedral cones, ellipsoids and Lorenz cones, are invariant sets for a linear continuous or discrete dynamical system. In proving invariance of ellipsoids and Lorenz cones for discrete systems, instead of the … Read more

AN INEQUALITY-CONSTRAINED SQP METHOD FOR EIGENVALUE OPTIMIZATION

We consider a problem in eigenvalue optimization, in particular find- ing a local minimizer of the spectral abscissa – the value of a parameter that results in the smallest magnitude of the largest real part of the spectrum of a matrix system. This is an important problem for the stabilization of control sys- tems. Many … Read more

Modal occupation measures and LMI relaxations for nonlinear switched systems control

This paper presents a linear programming approach for the optimal control of nonlinear switched systems where the control is the switching sequence. This is done by introducing modal occupation measures, which allow to relax the problem as a primal linear programming (LP) problem. Its dual linear program of Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman inequalities is also characterized. The LPs … Read more