Extended Prescribed Performance Control for Train Tracking Operation with Switching Dynamics

This paper addresses a new extended prescribed performance control (EPPC) for automatic train tracking operation in the presence of switching dynamics. By switching dynamics, it is meant that the considered mathematical model is established considering partitioned multiple operational conditions, which are widely encountered during the whole running process, such as changing of operational resistances, emerging of tunnel, and so on. Hence, the model with switching dynamics is much more accurate with comparison to conventional model with empirical parameters. With comparison to traditional prescribed performance control scheme, the proposed EPPC is a scheme capable of guaranteeing the output error converges to a small residual set with adjustable bounds. In this paper, defined tracking errors with respect to train movement are constrained by the predefined boundary functions and determined by control gains synchronously. Moreover, both average dwell-time and arbitrarily switching dynamics in the closed-loop systems can be proved to be stable by the designed control scheme. Finally, simulation results are given to demonstrate the effectiveness.