Modeling and control of an airbrake electro-hydraulic smart actuator

Abstract

In this paper, an accurate model of an airbrake electro-hydraulic smart actuator is obtained by physical considerations, and then different control strategies (variable-gain proportional control, PT1 control with switching integrator, and second order sub-optimal sliding mode control) are proposed and analyzed. This application is innovative in the avionic field, and is one of the first attempts to realize a fly-by-wire system for airbrakes, oriented to its immediate employment and installation on current aircraft. The project was carried on with the participation of the Italian Ministry of Defense, and was commissioned to MAG, a leading provider of integrated systems and aviation services for aerospace. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society.