Boundary Energy Shaping of Linear Distributed Port-Hamiltonian Systems

This paper deals with the stabilization via Casimir generation and energy shaping of linear, lossless, distributed port-Hamiltonian systems. Once inputs and outputs of the distributed port-Hamiltonian system have been chosen to obtain a well-defined boundary control systems, conditions for the existence of Casimir functions in closed-loop and of the associated semigroup are given, together with a criterion to be used to check asymptotic stability. Casimir functions suggest how to select the controller Hamiltonian to introduce a minimum at the desired equilibrium, while stability is ensured if proper "pervasive" boundary damping is present. The methodology is illustrated with the help of a Timoshenko beam with full-actuation on one side.