Path control of a surface ship in restricted waters using sliding mode

This paper addresses the path control problem for a ship steering in restri cted waters using sliding mode techniques, The ship's dynamic equations and numerical computation of the bank disturbance forces are briefly described . The ship's path control system is presented which leads to a nonminimum p hase system, Therefore, the traditional input-output linearization strategy in geometric control theory is modified to convert the controller design o f a fourth-order nonlinear system to that of a second-order linear system, A continuous sliding mode controller is designed to ensure the system's rob ustness and better performance. Simulation and experimental studies validat e the controller design, The simulation results demonstrate the effectivene ss of the proposed controller and its practicality in the steering control and navigation of the ship.