Decentralized control of flexible space structures using time-varying feedback

New energy-based methods are proposed for improving the performance of flexible structures to external disturbances. The schemes are based on decentralized control methods, which make them appealing for the solutions of large structural control problems. The proposed on-off controller schemes use the work done on the actuators for switching. Energy consumption to damp out the vibrations is minimized by switching the controllers ON only when the work done on them by the structure is positive. Design methodology is proposed to design the controllers to achieve desired damping in vibrating modes of the structure. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme is effective in introducing damping into low or undamped modes of the system. A method similar to the Independent Modal Space Control Scheme is used to get desired damping in modes of vibration using on-off control.