Investigations on state estimation of smart structure systems

This paper aims at enlightening the properties, computational and implementation issues related to Kalman filter based state estimation algorithms and sliding mode observers, by applying them for estimating the states of a smart structure system. The Kalman based estimators considered in this work are Kalman filter and information filter and, the sliding mode observers considered are Utkin observer and higher order sliding mode observer. A fourth order linear time invariant model of a piezo actuated beam is used in this work. This structure is embedded with four number of piezo patches, of which two act as sensors, one as disturbance actuator and the other as control actuator. The performance of the state estimation algorithms is evaluated through simulation, for the first two vibrating modes of the piezo actuated structure, when the structure is maintained at first mode and second mode resonance.