Real-Time Control of Transport Networks

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY

Investigators

Abstract

This award is made under the Exploratory Research on Engineering the Transport Industries (ETI) program solicitation. This exploratory research will focus on modeling and performance measures which will lead to a strategy for real-time control of transport networks. Models will be developed that integrate information and product flow. Information-based quantities need to be a part of the entire model and need to be responsible for some portion of the control. Information flow is at least as important as physical product flow and the two must be integrated for effective real-time control of the network. At least 50% of the research effort will be spent on the modeling problem in the context of distributed load control for energy delivery systems, distribution of goods in the shipping industry, and distributed manufacturing. Performance measures will be identified that are useful indicators of how well the transport network is operating. These measures along with the modeling effort will lead to the formulation of a real-time control strategy for these integrated systems. The development of the real-time control strategy will be the second major effort. Transport networks are hybrid systems, systems with components operating in continuous-time while being driven by discrete events. The interface between the continuous components and the discrete events will require further advances in the modeling and control of hybrid systems with particular emphasis on the stability of such systems. The controller will use information and product flow knowledge to make decisions about the operation of the network subject to real-time constraints. Reconfiguration in real-time is one possible function of the controller. The main goal of this proposed research is to build a science-based foundation across the major themes of modeling, performance analysis, and real-time control, all in the context of transport networks.