An Eclectic Approach to the State Feedback Control of Nonlinear Dynamical Systems

This paper examines the problem of robust state-feedback stabilization of a class of nonlinear multi-input dynamical systems. Four approaches to the problem are investigated: the variable structure control (VSC) method, the high-gain feedback technique, the feedback linearization algorithm, and finally the deterministic approach to the control of uncertain systems. It is shown that each design method can lead to a controller such that the closed-loop system exhibits a sliding mode property. The sliding mode is a desirable property since it results in a robust control. The analysis is illustrated by means of a simple numerical example.