Fractional-Order Modeling and Control for Complex Dynamic Systems: Methodologies and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Many systems encountered in engineering and natural sciences recently have complicated, memory-dependent dynamics. The rapid evolution of science and engineering systems has brought increasing attention to the need for accurate modeling and control of complex dynamic systems exhibiting memory, hereditary, and nonlocal characteristics. Fractional-order (FC) calculus, which extends the concept of derivatives and integrals to non-integer orders, has emerged as a beneficial mathematical tool for accurately modeling and controlling such systems.

An interesting observation is that, when employing integer-order conventional tools, an increasing number of 'anomalous' events are reported or complained about, but in the applied fractional calculus community, it has become widely accepted that 'anomalous is normal' in nature.  We think the beneficial engineering applications of this flexible mathematical tool of fractional calculus are viable and significant, and that fractional calculus has the potential to allow new scientific discoveries.

Recent developments have shown that fractional operators are effective instruments that play a crucial part in complicated dynamical systems.  The analysis and design of nonlinear control systems have also been improved through the development of new fractional operating tools.

This Special Issue will bring together state-of-the-art multidisciplinary research subjects including applied mathematics, fractional order modeling, control, optimization, machine learning, and artificial intelligence-assisted control applications. Both theoretical contributions and application-focused studies are encouraged, particularly those that provide deep insights into how fractional-order tools enhance performance, modeling accuracy, or stability guarantees in complex dynamic systems.

We welcome high-quality submissions addressing (but not limited to) the following topics:

• Fractional-order system identification and parameter estimation techniques;
• Fractional-order control methods: PID, adaptive, sliding mode, predictive, robust, etc.;
• Stability, convergence, and performance analysis of fractional-order systems;
• Applications in robotics, energy systems, biomedical engineering, signal processing, and beyond;
• Numerical methods and simulation techniques for fractional-order differential equations;
• Distributed and networked control using fractional-order dynamics;
• Machine learning and intelligent control frameworks with fractional-order models;
• Fractional-order gradient algorithm based optimization;
• Finite-, Fixed-, Prescribed-time convergence analysis of fractional-order control and optimization algorithms.

Dr. Necdet Sinan Özbek
Dr. Ying Luo
Prof. Dr. Yangquan Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fractal and Fractional is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• fractional-order systems
• fractional calculus
• complex dynamic systems
• fractional-order control
• non-integer order modeling
• robust control
• adaptive control
• sliding mode control
• stability analysis
• system identification
• memory and hereditary systems
• numerical methods for fractional systems
• networked and distributed systems
• machine learning in fractional control
• biomedical applications of fractional models
• energy systems modeling
• optimization in fractional-order systems
• time-domain and frequency-domain analysis