A RAPID 1st course in Modelling, dynamics and control
Rapid summaries and overviews of a 1st course. Useful for motivation and getting started and also for revision. Viewers are advised to go through the material on the home page first. Note that the interactive resources to aid learning require access to MATLAB software.
Material is arranged in the following manner.
Core resources are the videos and PDF files. These give rapid summaries of the core concepts.
Interactive resources allow students to try out the core concepts (these mostly use MATLAB, sections 6.8 and 6.9 are the most relevant).
Further resources direct viewers to the main chapters where slower videos, more detailed PDFs, tutorial sheets and other resources are available.
First, a number of videos and PDF files introduce the core concepts, some case studies and motivation:
Introduction (PDF, 583KB)
Car cruise control (PDF, 176KB)
Diabetes management (PDF, 497KB)
Aeroplane autopilot (PDF, 176KB)
Climate control (PDF, 474KB)
Suspension systems (PDF, 361KB)
Multiple examples/overview (PDF, 486KB) and more varied examples and more in section 2.7.
Overview videos
Overview notes
Interactive resources
Further reading, tutorials and more
Why is modelling important and what are behaviours? video.
PDF notes
Download the control101 toolbox and use the apps to explore numerous engineering scenarios.
Further reading and resources available in section 2.1.
A set of activities for the week is here.
2. Models of elementary engineering systems and analogies video
PDF notes
Download the weekly MATLAB livescript files from here.
Video overview on using livescripts here.
Further reading and resources available in section 2.1.
A set of activities for the week is here.
3. First order modelling video
PDF notes
Use the weekly MATLAB livescript files.
Further reading and resources available in section 2.2 and 2.7
A set of activities for the week is here.
4. First order responses video
PDF notes
Use the weekly livescript files and also MATLAB apps from control101 toolbox (car speed, house temperature, tanks)
Further reading and resources available in section 2.3 and 2.7
A set of activities for the week is here.
5. Second order modelling video
PDF notes
Use the weekly livescript files.
Further reading and resources available in section 2.4 and 2.7
A set of activities for the week is here.
6. Second order responses video
PDF notes
Use the weekly livescript files and aeroplane landing app (from the control101 toolbox).
Further reading and resources and case studies available in section 2.5 and 2.7.
A set of activities for the week is here.
7. Laplace transforms video
PDF notes
Use the weekly livescript files.
Further reading and resources available in section 1.5 and 1.6
A set of activities for the week is here.
8. Generic behaviours video
PDF notes
Use the weekly livescript file to supplement earlier MATLAB files above and the behaviours app.
Further reading and resources available in section 2.6. and case studies in section 2.7.
A set of activities for the week is here.
9. Introduction to feedback video
PDF notes
Use the weekly livescript file to supplement earlier MATLAB files and other livescripts for more detail.
Further reading and resources available in section 3.1. Also a few case studies in section 2.7.4
A set of activities for the week is here.
10. Elementary feedback loop analysis video
PDF notes
Use the weekly livescript file to supplement earlier MATLAB files and other livescripts for more detail.
Further reading and resources available in sections 3.2 and 3.3.
A set of activities for the week is here.
Use the weekly livescript file to supplement earlier MATLAB files and other livescripts for more detail.
The apps in the control 101 toolbox include a variety of case studies where students can explore PI tuning and the role of feedback.
Further reading and resources available in section 3.2, 3.3, 3.4.
A set of activities for the week is here. The exam questions in section 9.3. include some diverse engineering applications.
Overview of MATLAB for basic control
Summary notes
See all the livescript files and apps detailed above.
Further reading and resources available in sections 3.6, 6.3-6.9.
FINAL REMARKS: The above course has omitted numerous topics which some institutions may wish to include. This has been done to keep the content to something like a 20-30 hr lecture block and assuming no pre-requisite learning. It is taken as implicit that suitable laboratory activities are also included.
Where students already have more pre-requisites or more lecture space, it is possible to add important topics such as:
Discrete control and computer implementation.
More emphasis on handling uncertainty.
Instrumentation and hardware (e.g. sensors, actuators).
More advanced models (e.g. non-linearity, state-space methods) and a broader range of engineering scenarios.
Data based modelling and decision making and future trends (e.g. AI techniques such as machine learning).
Obviously priorities will differ depending upon the design and content of the rest of the curriculum. Viewers may note that modern consensus is that frequency response methods are considered a lower priority, albeit useful in a second course.