Passive and Active Approaches for the Control of Nonlinear Vibrations in Mechanical Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Classical control techniques such as Input Shaping and other linear strategies are traditionally designed for idealized, linear dynamic systems. However, many real-world mechanical systems present significant nonlinear behaviors, such as clearance, dry friction, and backlash, which can severely affect system performance, reduce positioning accuracy, and complicate the design of effective controllers.

This Special Issue focuses on the enhancement of Input Shaping and other linear control techniques to make them suitable for such nonlinear systems. In particular, we welcome contributions that address the following aspects:

• Enhanced control of nonlinear systems: extending Input Shaping and feedback techniques to address friction, clearance, and driver backlash using Lyapunov and anti-delay strategies;
• Estimation and design of new FIR filters and time-delay filters or shapers also motion command profiles adapted to systems with clearance and friction to improve the dynamic response;
• Hybrid approaches combining Input Shaping with adaptive feedback control methods, such as Lyapunov-based Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC), to improve robustness under nonlinear conditions;
• Anti-delay closed-loop Input Shaping techniques designed to improve manual control of flexible systems affected by backlash at the machine driver and other memory-dependent behaviors.
• Experimental validations and comparative studies between physical prototypes and simulation-based multibody models.
• Applications in industrial automation, port machinery, robotics, aerospace, or any domain where nonlinearities degrade control performance.

By bridging classical linear control design with modern nonlinear-aware strategies, this Special Issue aims to gather innovative contributions that push the boundaries of applied control in real, complex mechanical systems.

Dr. Gerardo Peláez Lourido
Dr. Higinio Rubio Alonso
Dr. Alejandro Bustos Caballero
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• nonlinear vibrations in flexible systems
• phase plane analysis of nonlinear effects
• Coulomb friction and stick–slip dynamics
• rolling friction and nonlinear damping
• clearance and backlash in flexible systems
• input shaping for nonlinear flexible systems
• Model Reference Control (MRC)
• Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC)
• experimental validation and multibody simulations
• industrial applications in cranes and transport systems