Master’s Thesis in Control Engineering Examines Sliding Mode Control for Class of Nonlinear Systems

A Master’s thesis in the Control and Systems Engineering Department at the University of Technology examines sliding mode control for a class of Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) nonlinear systems, entitled: Sliding Mode Control for a Class of MIMO Nonlinear Systems

The thesis, presented by the researcher Amna Riyadh Abdul Sahib in the field of Control Engineering, addressed the design and implementation of Sliding Mode Control (SMC) strategies for application to MIMO systems. These are interconnected systems that affect each other due to their complex dynamics. The study focused on the challenges associated with the coupling of variables and high-dimensional behaviors that make the design of controllers a delicate task.

The researcher reviewed four different sliding mode control approaches: Conventional Sliding Mode Control (CSMC), Adaptive Sliding Mode Control (ASMC), Time-Varying Sliding Mode Control, and Integral Sliding Mode Control (ISMC). These methods were applied to two models of MIMO nonlinear systems: a two-link robotic arm to demonstrate the property of complete decoupling and the possibility of independent control of each joint, and a three-tank system to evaluate control performance in a non-decoupled and complex environment.

The results demonstrated the ability of all control strategies to achieve stability and effective regulation of the systems despite the interactions between their components.

The discussion committee consisted of: Professor Dr. Sufana Muther Raafat (Chair), Assistant Professor Dr. Evan Isho Korial (Member), Professor Dr. Waleed Khalid Khairi (Member), and Professor Dr. Shibly Ahmed Hameed (Supervisor).