INTEGRATED CONTROLS-STRUCTURES DESIGN METHODOLOGY - REDESIGN OF AN EVOLUTIONARY TEST STRUCTURE

An optimization-based integrated controls-structures design methodolog y for a class of flexible space structures is described, and the phase -0 controls-structures-integration evolutionary model, a laboratory te stbed at NASA Langley, is redesigned using this integrated design meth odology. The integrated controls-structures design is posed as a nonli near programming problem to minimize the control effort required to ma intain a specified line-of-sight pointing performance, under persisten t white noise disturbance. Static and dynamic dissipative control stra tegies are employed for feedback control, and parameters of these cont rollers are considered as the control design variables. Sizes of strut elements in various sections of the controls-structures-integration e volutionary model are used as the structural design variables. Design guides for the struts are developed and employed in the integrated des ign process to ensure that the redesigned structure can be effectively fabricated. The superiority of the integrated design methodology over the conventional design approach is demonstrated analytically by obse rving a significant reduction in the average control power needed to m aintain specified pointing performance with the integrated design appr oach.