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At least 55 records · Page 3

Sliding control of pointing and tracking with operator spline estimation

It is shown how a variable structure control technique could be implemented to achieve precise pointing and good tracking of a deformable structure subject to fast slewing maneuvers. The correction torque that has to be applied to the structure is based on estimates of upper bounds on the model errors. For a rapid rotation of the deformable structure, the elastic response can be modeled by oscillators driven by angular acceleration, and where stiffness and damping coefficients are also angular velocity and acceleration dependent. By transforming this slew-driven elastic dynamics into bilinear form (be regarding the vector made up of the angular velocity, squared angular velocity and angular acceleration components, which appear in the coefficients as the input to the deformation dynamics), an operator spline can be constructed, that gives a low order estimate of the induced disturbance. Moreover, a worst case error bound between the estimated deformation and the unknown exact deformation is also generated, which can be used where required in the sliding control correction.

Dwyer, Thomas A. W., III

Sensor filter designs for large flexible spacecraft

Traditional control methods may excite flexible modes causing degraded performance or instability of large flexible space structures (LFSS). Control techniques developed for control of LFSS requires a numerical model of the structure and some knowledge of model error. This will be increasingly difficult with the complex space structures planned for the future. If filters could be used to condition the sensor output, control design would be less demanding. This paper is presented in viewgraph format.

Nimmo, Nancy A.

Creating a Test Validated Structural Dynamic Finite Element Model of the Multi-Utility Technology Test Bed Aircraft

Small modeling errors in the finite element model will eventually induce errors in the structural flexibility and mass, thus propagating into unpredictable errors in the unsteady aerodynamics and the control law design. One of the primary objectives of Multi Utility Technology Test Bed, X-56A, aircraft is the flight demonstration of active flutter suppression, and therefore in this study, the identification of the primary and secondary modes for the structural model tuning based on the flutter analysis of X-56A. The ground vibration test validated structural dynamic finite element model of the X-56A is created in this study. The structural dynamic finite element model of the X-56A is improved using a model tuning tool. In this study, two different weight configurations of the X-56A have been improved in a single optimization run.

structural dynamic model tuning

Control effort associated with model reference adaptive control for vibration damping

The performance of Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) is studied in numerical simulations with the objective of understanding the effects of differences between the plant and the reference model. MRAC is applied to two structural systems with adjustable error between the reference model and the actual plant. Performance indices relating to control effort and response characteristics are monitored in order to determine what effects small errors have on the control effort and performance of the two systems. It is shown that reasonable amounts of error in the reference model can cause dramatic increases in both the control effort and response magnitude (as measured by energy integrals) of the plant.

Messer, Richard Scott

Uncertainty Modeling for Structural Control Analysis and Synthesis

The development of an accurate model of uncertainties for the control of structures that undergo a change in operational environment, based solely on modeling and experimentation in the original environment is studied. The application used throughout this work is the development of an on-orbit uncertainty model based on ground modeling and experimentation. A ground based uncertainty model consisting of mean errors and bounds on critical structural parameters is developed. The uncertainty model is created using multiple data sets to observe all relevant uncertainties in the system. The Discrete Extended Kalman Filter is used as an identification/parameter estimation method for each data set, in addition to providing a covariance matrix which aids in the development of the uncertainty model. Once ground based modal uncertainties have been developed, they are localized to specific degrees of freedom in the form of mass and stiffness uncertainties. Two techniques are presented: a matrix method which develops the mass and stiffness uncertainties in a mathematical manner; and a sensitivity method which assumes a form for the mass and stiffness uncertainties in macroelements and scaling factors. This form allows the derivation of mass and stiffness uncertainties in a more physical manner. The mass and stiffness uncertainties of the ground based system are then mapped onto the on-orbit system, and projected to create an analogous on-orbit uncertainty model in the form of mean errors and bounds on critical parameters. The Middeck Active Control Experiment is introduced as experimental verification for the localization and projection methods developed. In addition, closed loop results from on-orbit operations of the experiment verify the use of the uncertainty model for control analysis and synthesis in space.

Campbell, Mark E.

Development and applications of a multi-level strain energy method for detecting finite element modeling errors

A computational procedure is described which can be used efficiently in identifying modeling errors which may arise from development of a structural finite element model. The procedure, which is referred to as the multi-level strain energy check, is set up in the form of a set of NASTRAN DMAP alters which provide sufficient information about the modeling errors at G-Set, N-Set, and F-Set levels. This technique was applied to two NASTRAN models, namely, the AH-64A and AH-1G models. Two modeling errors were identified for the AH-1G, which were then corrected.

Hashemi-Kia, Mostafa

Probabilistic low cycle fatigue failure analysis with application to liquid propellant rocket engines

A probabilistic Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) failure analysis of a candidate turbine disk for use in a turbopump of a rocket engine of the Space Shuttle Main Engine class is described. A state-of-the-art LCF failure prediction method was used in a Monte Carlo simulation to generate a distribution of failure lives. A stochastic Stress/Life (S/N) model was used for materials characterization. The LCF failure model expresses fatigue life as a function of stochastic parameters including environmental parameters, loads, material properties, structural parameters, and model specification errors. The rationale for the particular characterization of each stochastic input parameter is described. The results and interpretation of the failure analysis are given.

Newlin, L.

System IDentification Programs for AirCraft (SIDPAC)

A collection of computer programs for aircraft system identification is described and demonstrated. The programs, collectively called System IDentification Programs for AirCraft, or SIDPAC, were developed in MATLAB as m-file functions. SIDPAC has been used successfully at NASA Langley Research Center with data from many different flight test programs and wind tunnel experiments. SIDPAC includes routines for experiment design, data conditioning, data compatibility analysis, model structure determination, equation-error and output-error parameter estimation in both the time and frequency domains, real-time and recursive parameter estimation, low order equivalent system identification, estimated parameter error calculation, linear and nonlinear simulation, plotting, and 3-D visualization. An overview of SIDPAC capabilities is provided, along with a demonstration of the use of SIDPAC with real flight test data from the NASA Glenn Twin Otter aircraft. The SIDPAC software is available without charge to U.S. citizens by request to the author, contingent on the requestor completing a NASA software usage agreement.

Morelli, Eugene A.

Design of robust failure detection filters

An essential aspect of the design of control systems for large, flexible spacecraft is fault tolerance. Because it is anticipated that a large number of sensors and actuators will be required to realize good control over these assemblies, the detection and isolation of component failures cannot be based on direct comparisons among replicated components. Instead, the notion of 'analytic redundancy' must be employed for the FDI function. Unfortunately this makes the FDI function sensitive to modeling errors which are certain to exist in the large space structure problem due to model truncation and parameter uncertainty. This paper addresses the robustness to model error of one method of FDI residual generation - the failure detection filter. Initial designs were found to be extremely sensitive to modeling error. The sources of this sensitivity are analyzed and modifications to the design are suggested. The improved filter is shown to have much better visibility of the failure signatures relative to the background due to modeling error.

San Martin, A. M.

Simulation studies of the application of SEASAT data in weather and state of sea forecasting models

The design and analysis of SEASAT simulation studies in which the error structure of conventional analyses and forecasts is modeled realistically are presented. The development and computer implementation of a global spectral ocean wave model is described. The design of algorithms for the assimilation of theoretical wind data into computers and for the utilization of real wind data and wave height data in a coupled computer system are presented.

Cardone, V. J.

Thermal-mechanical behavior of high precision composite mirrors

Composite mirror panels were designed, constructed, analyzed, and tested in the framework of a NASA precision segmented reflector task. The deformations of the reflector surface during the exposure to space enviroments were predicted using a finite element model. The composite mirror panels have graphite-epoxy or graphite-cyanate facesheets, separated by an aluminum or a composite honeycomb core. It is pointed out that in order to carry out detailed modeling of composite mirrors with high accuracy, it is necessary to have temperature dependent properties of the materials involved and the type and magnitude of manufacturing errors and material nonuniformities. The structural modeling and analysis efforts addressed the impact of key design and materials parameters on the performance of mirrors.

Kuo, C. P.

Combining Structural and Substructural Mathematical Models

Automation reduces input length and potential data-entry errors. Matrix Automated Reduction and Coupling (MARC) program used for combining NASTRAN substructural models with primary structural model MARC also constructs job-control language (JCL) stream for NASTRAN batch job that utilizes previously-written user library of dynamic models. Minimizes lengthy input and reduces potential data-entry errors. MARC procedure used in assembling Space Shuttle orbiter dynamic models since 1983 and reduced NASTRAN modeling input time by as much as 50 percent. MARC program written in FORTRAN IV for interactive execution.

Choa, V. K.

A simulator for evaluating methods for the detection of lesion-deficit associations

Although much has been learned about the functional organization of the human brain through lesion-deficit analysis, the variety of statistical and image-processing methods developed for this purpose precludes a closed-form analysis of the statistical power of these systems. Therefore, we developed a lesion-deficit simulator (LDS), which generates artificial subjects, each of which consists of a set of functional deficits, and a brain image with lesions; the deficits and lesions conform to predefined distributions. We used probability distributions to model the number, sizes, and spatial distribution of lesions, to model the structure-function associations, and to model registration error. We used the LDS to evaluate, as examples, the effects of the complexities and strengths of lesion-deficit associations, and of registration error, on the power of lesion-deficit analysis. We measured the numbers of recovered associations from these simulated data, as a function of the number of subjects analyzed, the strengths and number of associations in the statistical model, the number of structures associated with a particular function, and the prior probabilities of structures being abnormal. The number of subjects required to recover the simulated lesion-deficit associations was found to have an inverse relationship to the strength of associations, and to the smallest probability in the structure-function model. The number of structures associated with a particular function (i.e., the complexity of associations) had a much greater effect on the performance of the analysis method than did the total number of associations. We also found that registration error of 5 mm or less reduces the number of associations discovered by approximately 13% compared to perfect registration. The LDS provides a flexible framework for evaluating many aspects of lesion-deficit analysis.

NASA Program Biomedical Research and Countermeasur

The use of antioptimization to compare alternative structural models

Structural models are usually tested by comparing their response with that of a reference structure (an actual structure or a more refined model) to a limited number of arbitrary loads. This test is not always reliable because the loads are arbitrary. An antioptimization-based method is proposed to test structural models. This method compares a structural model with a reference model or an actual structure under the worst loading case that maximizes the error in the model. Specifically, the method identifies the loading case that maximizes the difference between the responses of two models of the same structure using optimization. This method can be used to design experiments in order to validate a structural model. It can also be applied to identify damage in a structure by determining the load that maximizes the difference in the behavior of the damaged and the intact structure. The proposed method is illustrated by applying it to a plate and an automotive structure.

Gangadharan, S. N.

Adaptive Control Of Large Vibrating, Rotating Structures

Globally convergent theoretical method provides for adaptive set-point control of orientation of, along with suppression of the vibrations of, large structure. Method utilizes inherent passivity properties of structure to attain mathematical condition essential to adaptive convergence on commanded set point. Maintains stability and convergence in presence of errors in mathematical model of dynamics of structure and actuators. Developed for controlling attitudes of large, somewhat flexible spacecraft, also useful in such terrestrial applications as controlling movable bridges or suppressing earthquake vibrations in bridges, buildings, and other large structures.

Bayard, David S.

Modal test and analysis: Multiple tests concept for improved validation of large space structure mathematical models

For the structural dynamic analysis of large space structures, the technology in structural synthesis and the development of structural analysis software have increased the capability to predict the dynamic characteristics of the structural system. The various subsystems which comprise the system are represented by various displacement functions; the displacement functions are then combined to represent the total structure. Experience has indicated that even when subsystem mathematical models are verified by test, the mathematical representations of the total system are often in error because the mathematical model of the structural elements which are significant when loads are applied at the interconnection points are not adequately verified by test. A multiple test concept, based upon the Multiple Boundary Condition Test (MBCT), is presented which will increase the accuracy of the system mathematical model by improving the subsystem test and test/analysis correlation procedure.

Wada, B. K.

An AI-based approach to structural damage identification by modal analysis

Flexible-structure damage is presently addressed by a combined model- and parameter-identification approach which employs the AI methodologies of classification, heuristic search, and object-oriented model knowledge representation. The conditions for model-space search convergence to the best model are discussed in terms of search-tree organization and initial model parameter error. In the illustrative example of a truss structure presented, the use of both model and parameter identification is shown to lead to smaller parameter corrections than would be required by parameter identification alone.

Glass, B. J.

Linear-quadratic-Gaussian synthesis with reduced parameter sensitivity

We present a method for improving the tolerance of a conventional LQG controller to parameter errors in the plant model. The improvement is achieved by introducing additional terms reflecting the structure of the parameter errors into the LQR cost function, and also the process and measurement noise models. Adjusting the sizes of these additional terms permits a trade-off between robustness and nominal performance. Manipulation of some of the additional terms leads to high gain controllers while other terms lead to low gain controllers. Conditions are developed under which the high-gain approach asymptotically recovers the robustness of the corresponding full-state feedback design, and the low-gain approach makes the closed-loop poles asymptotically insensitive to parameter errors.

Lin, J. Y.