Jerk limited time optimal control of flexible structures

This paper addresses the problem of designing jerk limited time-optimal control profiles for rest-to-rest maneuvers of flexible structures. The variation of the structure of the jerk profile as a function of the permissible jerk is studied. An optimal control problem is formulated which includes constraints to cancel the poles corresponding to the rigid body and flexible modes of the system and to satisfy the boundary conditions of the rest-to-rest maneuver. The proposed technique is illustrated on the benchmark Floating Oscillator problem where the jerk profile is parameterized as a bang-off-bang or bang-bang profile.