Class Time: MWF 10:00 - 10:50, in EGR 102

Pre-requisites: EGR 220, CSC 111, some linear algebra
Text: Modern Control Theory,, by William Brogan, Prentice Hall, 1991, 3rd ed.

optional reference: Introduction to Dynamic Systems, David Luenberger, Wiley & Sons, 1979.  

Course Overview and Objectives
Dynamic systems are systems that evolve with time. They occur all around us, throughout nature and the built environment, with common examples including room thermostats, bicycles, electric power systems, species populations, human relationships, water faucets, robot vacuum cleaners, automatic irrigation systems…. Understanding dynamic systems leads to the ability to control them, so they behave according to the engineer's design. This course introduces students to both linear dynamic system and modern control theory, so that students will be able to design and control simple dynamic systems. Through design projects, students gain practical experience in modeling a dynamic system, and designing a simple control input for the system. Projects can include applications from any branch of engineering science in which the students identify a system that evolves over time and can be controlled. The objective of this course is to introduce students to the analysis and design of dynamic systems. Through the material presented in this course, students will learn:

1. The fundamentals of identifying and characterizing linear dynamic systems, using both engineering theory and informed observation of system behavior,
2. To model and analyze linear dynamic systems by
   1. Creating models using mathematical representations, and coding them in Matlab and Simulink,
   2. Generating solutions to these models, and plotting the results in ways that enhance understanding of system behavior
   3. Exploring the structural relationships within systems, as represented by the mathematical models that are developed, and iterated upon as necessary.
3. To design simple control systems, to modify and control the behavior of linear dynamic systems,
4. To improve oral, graphical and written communication skills
5. To evaluate her personal learning process and understanding of the concepts and skills from class

Reading and Class Time
The syllabus lists the reading for each week. Students are expected to do the reading before coming to class, in order to be fully prepared to solidify the material in the class period.

Assignments
There will be weekly homework assignments. There may also be short reading and homework quizzes in class.

Homework format
All homework solutions must be written on standard engineering paper (or typed and printed when appropriate, e.g., Matlab code and computer plotted results). Students are encouraged to work together to understand the concepts, but each student must work out and hand in her own solutions. All assignments are to be neatly written or typed, and stapled, with your name and date. Note that students are expected to follow the Honor Code for all work in this course. Copying on homework, labs or quizzes/exams, and other violations will be brought to the honor board.

The purpose of the homework is for you to have the opportunity to practice - practice - practice the skills and concepts from class. Since homework is the time to practice, you are not expected to have perfects solutions at all times. You are expected to do your best work for each problem however. In recognition of these goals, each homework problem will be evaluated on a 0-10 point scale as follows:

• 0 No effort
• 2 Problem statement written out but not attempted
• 6 Incomplete attempt
• 9 Complete attempt, incorrect solution
• 10 Complete attempt, correct solution

Quizzes and Exams
There may be weekly quizzes that are used to assess progress and ensure students do not fall behind. There will be one midterm exam and a final exam , used to solidify concepts and assess the learning progress.

Project
Through a group or individual design project, students will gain practical experience in designing and demonstrating a dynamic system, and a simple control input for the system. Projects can include applications from any branch of engineering science in which the students identify a system that evolves over time and can be controlled.

Class attendance
Students are required to attend class and participate in class discussions and problem solving exercises.

Grading
Grades in this course are designed to represent your achievement of the objectives listed above. The course components that will make up your grade are listed below.

Late Policy
All homework assignments must be turned in to room EGR 105B (or prior to that time, in class); late assignments will be penalized at the rate of one point per minute unless you have requested and received and extension at least 24 hours before the deadline. However, each student will have a total of 1 hour (60 minutes) grace time to be used as desired by that student over the course of the semester, such that you can have a semester total of 60 tardy minutes for homework and the project without penalty (note that these minutes cannot be used for in-class reading questions, μ-Quizzes or exams).

Honor Code
The weekly homework assignments that you submit must be your own work. You are encouraged to discuss the problems and modeling issues with your classmates and work on them together, but each student must work out her own solutions. It is not okay to copy answers from another student's homework - doing so is a violation of the Honor Code. Note that it is a violation of the honor code to 1) use or copy another student's work, and 2) provide another student with your work. Projects will be done in small groups. Exams must be exclusively each student's own work, following the instructions provided with each exam. Do not hesitate to ask any questions that you may have concerning the honor code.  

 

Matlab and Simulink Hints and Tutorials: Matlab & Simulink power point overview Matlab Basics, CMU Utah tutorial MIT-Strang Linear Algebra Matlab Hints MIT-Signals Matlab Tutorial Smith CS370 tutorial Matlab's own tutorials - Matlab and Simulink

1) UMich Simulink Basics Tutorial 2) UMich Modeling 1st Order System in Simulink 3) Washington U, Simulink and Matlab m files CMU Simulink Basics Modeling First and Second Order Systems IEEE paper, RLC Modeling