On linear stabilization of a class of nonlinear systems in a critical case

Abstract

In this paper, we address the stabilization problem for nonlinear systems in a critical case. Namely, we study the class of canonical nonlinear systems. Canonical nonlinear systems or chain of power integrators is an important subject of research. Studying such systems is complicated by the fact that they cannot be mapped onto linear systems. Moreover, they have the uncontrollable first approximation. Previous results on smooth stabilization of such systems were obtained under the assumption that the powers in the right-hand side are strictly decreasing. In this work, we consider a case of non-increasing powers in the right-hand side for a three-dimensional system. A popular approach for studying such systems is the backstepping method, which is a method of step-wise stabilization. This method requires a sequential investigation of lower-dimensional subsystems. Backstepping enables the study of a wide range of nonlinear triangular systems but requires technically complex and cumbersome computations. Therefore, a natural question arises about constructing stabilizing controls of a simple form. Polynomial controls can serve as an example of such controls. In the paper, we demonstrate that linear controls can be considered as stabilizing controls. We derive sufficient conditions for the coefficients of the linear control that ensure the asymptotic stability of the zero equilibrium point of the corresponding closed-loop system. The asymptotic stability is proven using the Lyapunov function method, which is found as the sum of squares. The negative definiteness of the Lyapunov function derivative in a neighborhood of the origin guarantees asymptotic stability. In contrast to the case of strictly decreasing powers, additional conditions on the control coefficients, apart from their negativity, emerge. The obtained result extends to a broader class of nonlinear systems through stabilization by nonlinear approximation. This allows the consideration of systems with higher-order terms in the right-hand side. The effectiveness of the applied approach is illustrated by several model examples. The method used in this work to investigate the case of non-increasing powers can be applied to systems of higher dimensions.