IJCCCE Vol.15, No.

3, 2015

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Sliding Mode Control for Electro-Hydraulic Servo

System

Shibly Ahmed AL-Samarraie1, Shaymaa Mahmood Mahdi2,

Taghreed M. Mohammad Ridha3 and Mustafa Hussein Mishary4
1,2,3,4
Control & Systems Engineering Department, University of Technology
e-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

[email protected] [email protected]

Received: 22/4 /2014

Accepted: 19/5 /2015

Abstract – T his paper deals with the problem of designing a robust controller for the
electro-hydraulic position servo system (EHPSS). The sliding mode control design
methodology is utilized here to design a robust controller with respect to system
parameters uncertainty. Because the relative degree of the mechanical sub-system with
respect to hydraulic force is two, the switching function is constructed in two stages
in order to reduce the relative degree to one. As a result of the proposed controller, the
switching function reaches the zero level in a finite time, after that the state tracks the
reference value asymptotically. The simulations result using MATLAB/ Simulink tools
reveal the effectiveness and the robustness of the proposed control in forcing the
position to track the reference value in spite of the uncertainty in system parameters.
The uncertainty in hydraulic system model depends mainly on the variation on load
mass (20 to 250 ). Namely, the robustness is tested for two load masses 75
and 200 .
.
Keywords –Electro hydraulic servo system, sliding mode control, variable load mass.

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IJCCCE Vol.15, No.3, 2015
Sliding Mode Control for Electro-Hydraulic
Shibly Ahmed AL-Samarraie et al. Servo System

1. Introduction A time-varying sliding mode control

In spite of the electro - hydraulic approach combined with adaptive control
systems are widely used in many is proposed based on Lyapunov analysis
applications such as in robotics, factories have been introduced by Ch. Guan et al
of large objects, actuators in aircrafts, and [3], in order to overcome the influence to
many kinds of mechanizations, because of the uncertain parameters and disturbances
their high power-to-weight ratios, fast and of the electro-hydraulic servo system, the
smooth response characteristics, low cost control approach has nice global
in comparison to other types of drives; robustness and improves position tracking
they have some problems in controlling of accuracy considerably. Hong-Ming Chen
the position, force or pressure because of et al [4] have introduced the varying
the nonlinearities of some parameters boundary layer, as a new sliding mode
such as friction, fluid compressibility and control scheme which has effectively
leakages, in order to improve the improved the tracking performance of the
performance of the hydraulic actuator, a nonlinear electro-hydraulic position servo
suitable controller is required. systems (EHPSS), as compared with the
The sliding mode controller (SMC) conventional continuous sliding control.
is a discontinuous robust controller and it In reference C. Guan [5] presented a
is used with systems in presence of the nonlinear adaptive sliding controller with
disturbances and the variation in their adaptation laws to compensate for the
parameters. Different papers investigated nonlinear uncertain parameters caused by
the use of the sliding mode controller to the electro-hydraulic system; the proposed
the hydraulic systems. Here a literature control method can compensate for all
review is presented. A nonlinear sliding system uncertainties and satisfying the
made controller was used by M. Jerouane required performance. The method of
et al [1], for a nonlinear mathematical adaptive fuzzy sliding mode control with
model of a hydraulic system interacting friction torque dynamic compensation for
with the environment. The proposed the uncertain parameter and external
controller shows its insensitivity to a large disturbances of Direct Drive Electro-
variation of parameters such as flow gain, Hydraulic (DDEH) servo Rocket Rudder
supply pressure or environmental is designed in [6]. The simulation
stiffness, and has an excellent tracking indicates that the proposed control theme
performance for various set point forces has good dynamic performance and the
under uncertainties. The work of M. steady state accuracy even though the
Mihajlov et al [2], used the Fuzzy PI parameter perturbation and the load
controller to improve the performance of disturbance exist. A fuzzy sliding mode
the variable structure control system for controller is designed in [7] for an electro-
position tracking of an electro-hydraulic hydraulic system, which uses fuzzy logic
servo system. The results of the combined to obtain equivalent control signal after
controller show much better results than system states reaching sliding manifold.
using sliding mode controller only with Simulating result adequately satisfies
regard to the position precision and control demand of an electro-hydraulic
disturbance rejection. system with large moment of inertia of
load.

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IJCCCE Vol.15, No.3, 2015

Shibly Ahmed AL-Samarraie et al. Sliding Mode Control for Electro-Hydraulic

Servo System

Chao Jia1 et al. [8], have proved that model of the electro hydraulic system is
the designed sliding mode controller can presented in the following section. After
achieve the scheduled demand such as that the required steps and assumptions
position tracking with high precision and for designing a sliding mode control is
better disturbance-resistant ability after introduced. The numerical investigations
introducing an exponent approaching law for the effectiveness of the proposed
with variable parameters for the hydraulic controller and the conclusions are
nonlinear system. A performance study of presented in the latter sections.
SMC, P, PD and PID controllers for
position tracking control to the Electro- 2. Sliding Mode Control
hydraulic Servo System has been Sliding modes as a phenomenon may
introduced by R. Ghazali et al [9]. The appear in a dynamic system governed by
numerical simulations show that the SMC ordinary differential equations with
provides better performance in tracking discontinuous right-hand sides. The term
accuracy and response. The chattering sliding mode first appeared in the context
problem has been introduced by of relay systems [12].
The high–speed discontinues control
Indrawanto et al [10], where they
action is used to drive the state
proposed and applied a sliding mode
trajectories into a specified surface in
controller in order to reduce of the single- state space named as the sliding or
hydraulically actuated manipulator. The switching surface. Then the state is
simulation results have shown good maintained on this surface or within its
performances of tracking with neighborhood while moving toward the
overcoming the chattering problem. J. Yu origin. Actually, such control scheme
et al [11] proposed the robust means a lot to the regulation matter since
stabilizability of the uncertainty for the the only concern is to stay on the surface;
equivalent linear parameter varying hence, external excitations are no more
(LPV) model of the nonlinear hydraulic allowed to destroy the desired
servo systems by using parameter- performance during the sliding mode
dependent Lyapunov method. toward the equilibrium state.
The main problem that we aim to deal Systems with sliding modes have been
with it in this paper is to design a robust proven to be an efficient tool to control
controller to the electro-hydraulic actuator complex high-order nonlinear dynamic
system in spite of the variation in plants operating under uncertainty
parameters values. A sliding mode conditions, a common problem for many
controller is utilized here to direct the processes of modern technology. This
piston position to the desired value explains the high level of research and
publication activity in the area and
irrespective to parameters variation. The
unremitting interest of practicing
numerical simulations will demonstrate
engineers in sliding mode control during
the effectiveness of the proposed
the past two decades [12]. As a procedure
controller with a broad range of the load for designing the sliding mode control, we
mass variation. need first to construct a switching
The organization of the present work is as function and then we compute the
follows: an overview to the sliding mode required discontinuous control that will
control is first introduced, while the

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IJCCCE Vol.15, No.3, 2015

Shibly Ahmed AL-Samarraie et al. Sliding Mode Control for Electro-Hydraulic

Servo System

force the state toward the switching where represents the displacement of
surface and maintain it there for all future the actuator and is the mass of the
time. In this case it is required that the load, = – is the load pressure of
relative degree between the switching the cylinder, where the and are the
function and the control action is equal to pressure of the actuator of chamber 1 and
one. This type of sliding mode controller chamber 2 respectively, Ω is the ram area
is the conventional one and it is also of the cylinder, represents the viscous
named as the first order sliding mode damping coefficient, is the spring
control (FOSMC) [12]. Moreover it is constant. The load pressure of the
required also that the reduced system cylinder can be represented by the
dynamics when regulating the switching following equation:
function to zero level with respect to the ̇ = −Ω ̇ − + (2)
state is asymptotically stable.
In the subsequent section a FOSMC where is the total volume of the
will be designed for electro-hydraulic cylinder and the hoses between the
actuator system after defining a switching cylinder and the servo valve, is the
function that has a relative degree equal to effective bulk modulus, is the
one with the control action. coefficient of the total internal leakage of
3. Mathematical Model of the Electro- the cylinder due to pressure, and Q =
Hydraulic Actuator System (Q + Q )/2 is the load flow. is related
to the spool valve displacement of the
The Electro-Hydraulic Actuator system
servo valve, as in the equation below:
response will be studied in order to realize
the dynamic problems, so a mathematical ( )
Q = (3)
model should be written for the electro-
hydraulic servo system. The Basic where is the discharge coefficient, is
components for electro-hydraulic actuator the spool valve area gradient, is the
are shown in Figure 1 [11]. supply pressure of the fluid, is the fluid
density and is the spool valve
displacement of the servo valve. The
spool valve dynamics is as described in
equation (4):
̇ =− + (4)
where the spool valve displacement is
related to the current input = , and
are the time constant and gain of the
Figure 1 The Electro-Hydraulic Actuator system
schematic diagram [11] servo-valve respectively. In this work the
spool dynamics is omitted and hence we
The dynamical model for the cylinder get:
can be described, via Newton's Law, by
= (5)
the following equation [11]
Now to write the mathematical model of
̈= − ̇− (1)
the electro-hydraulic actuator in state

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IJCCCE Vol.15, No.3, 2015

Shibly Ahmed AL-Samarraie et al. Sliding Mode Control for Electro-Hydraulic

Servo System

space form we define the following state control will appear. Moreover, for
variables; , > 0, and when the switching function
= − , = ̇− ̇ , reaches its zero level the state will
= &. = − ( ) approach the origin asymptotically. The
Then we can write the mathematical stability for = 0 is granted when and
model as: are greater than zero.
̇ =
⎫ The next step in designing the sliding
̇ = − − − ̇ − − ̈
⎬ come control is to determine a control law
̇ =− − − ̇ + that ensures directing the state towards the
⎭
(6) sliding surface. The sliding condition
where is a new control signal. By when satisfied ensures both the reaching
knowing that ( )= ( ), the actual phase and the sliding phase is [12];
control signal (the current) can now be
computed from the following relation: sṡ < 0 (9)

= (7) To derive the control low, such that the

( )
sliding mode condition in the inequality
The state space model in (6) with a (9) is satisfied, we differentiate
control signal will be more appropriate
̇ = ̈ +( + ) ̇ + ̇
for designing a controller as will be
= + (10)
shown in the following section.
where
4. Sliding Mode Controller Design
The following steps are devoted to = −( + ) + − + −
construct a switching function first and − ( + ) ̇+ − − +
then design a control law for the spool
( + )Ω −( + ) ̈ − ⃛ +
valve displacement that will force the
witching function to reach the zero level. ( ̇− ̇ )
To construct the switching function,
and
we define first the following function:
=
= + , >0

When differentiating , the control By substituting in condition (9), yields

will not appear and this means that the { + }<0
relative degree between and is
greater than one. Thus cannot be taken Since > 0 , the above inequality can
as a switching function for the FOSMC. be put as
To overcome this problem, the switching
+ <0 (11)
function can be defined as:
= ̇ + Now let
= ̇ + ( + ) + , > 0 (8)
Γ= = Γ + ΔΓ (12)
The switching function, as can be
easily noted, has a relative degree equal to where Γ and ΔΓ are the nominal and the
one. So when we differentiate it the uncertain terms of Γ respectively:

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IJCCCE Vol.15, No.3, 2015

Shibly Ahmed AL-Samarraie et al. Sliding Mode Control for Electro-Hydraulic

Servo System

the system dimension is reduced by one.

Γ = −( + ) + − + This situation appears in the FOSMC,
− −( + ) ̇+ − − + where the electro-hydraulic servo system
)Ω
dynamics becomes:
( + −( + ) ̈ − ⃛ +
( ̇− ̇ ) (13) ̈ +( + ) ̇ + =0 (17)
|∆ |
|ΔΓ| ≤ | + ̇ − Ω |+ As mentioned above that for positive

|∆ |
| ̇−( + ) ̈ − ̇ − ⃛ | (14)
and , in (17) is exponentially
asymptotically stable and the error
Also and are the nominal and between the piston position and the
minimum mass values respectively and reference value will exponentially
|∆ | is the maximum mass variation with decay to zero with the required dynamic
respect to nominal mass value. characteristics according to the values of
The sliding mode control law, and .
accordingly, can be taken as The above analysis proves the stability
= −Γ − ∗ ( ) (15) of the electro-hydraulic servo system that
uses the proposed sliding mode controller.
where
|∆ |
5. Simulation Results and Discussions
= + | + ̇ − Ω |+
The dominant parameter in the system
|∆ |
| ̇−( + ) ̈ − ̇ −⃛ | model of the electro-hydraulic servo
> |ΔΓ|, > 0 (16) system that resembles the uncertainty is
its load mass that ranging from (20 −
Furthermore must also satisfy the 250) , as given in Table 1, which
sliding condition (9). This can be verified presents the value of the system
by substituting (15) into (9) as follows; parameters. The nominal term Γ is
{Γ − Γ − ∗ ( )} = {ΔΓ − ∗ ( )} evaluated with the mean value of the mass
= ΔΓ − | | ≤ | ||ΔΓ| − | | (135 ). In the simulations the designed
= −| |{ − |ΔΓ|} SMC is applied to the hydraulic system
But from inequality (16) > |ΔΓ|, for mass value equal to 200 and
therefore 75 .

+ ≤ −| |{ − | |} < 0 The parameters of the switching

function (8) are chosen as = 30 and
This proves that the proposed SMC = 20. The reduced dynamics, when
will direct the state to the sliding surface reachs zero value in a finite time, is
in a finite time and maintains it there for exponentially asymptotically stable since
all future time (the sliding motion). Note and are positive. In deriving the
that the signum function ( ) with gain sliding mode control law the nominal
is used here to enforce the state to reach system parameters are considered first to
and slide along the switching manifold get Γ (see (13)). The sliding mode
( = 0) in presence of the disturbances and controller will definitely overcome system
the uncertainty in system parameters. uncertainties via the discontinuous term in
When the system is in sliding mode (15) for suitable gain ( see (16)) where

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IJCCCE Vol.15, No.3, 2015

Shibly Ahmed AL-Samarraie et al. Sliding Mode Control for Electro-Hydraulic

Servo System

max|Δ | = − = 115 and as the reaching time which it relates to the

= 20 . control parameters (15) and the switching
function form as determined in (8). Figure
Table 1. The system parameters [11] (2) also reveals that the time required to
The regulate the switching function is not
Description The value (SI units)
parameter exceed 0.1 second. After reaching sliding
Viscous damping
19.84*103 m/s
coefficient. manifold = 0 the error state is
Ram area of the
Ω
cylinder.
(5550/1000000) m2 regulated, according to (17),
Total volume of asymptotically to the origin. This is
the cylinder and
the hoses
depicted in Fig. (3) which it needs 1.5
(1.75*106)/((103)3)m3
between the second to be equal to zero. As a result the
cylinder and the
servo valve. displacement reaches the desired
Coefficient of the position as shown in Fig. (4).
total internal
leakage of the (15/(103)5) m5/Ns
cylinder due to
pressure.
Effective bulk
modulus of 70*103 N/m
spring.
Effective bulk
(700*(103)^2) N/m2
modulus.
Cd is the
discharge
coefficient, w is
(3.42*10^4/(103)3)
/ the spool valve
Figure 2 Switching function time response
area gradient and m3√
is the fluid ( = 200 )
density.
Mass of the load. 20~250 Kg
Supply pressure
10 MPa
of the fluid.
Gain of the
0.03
servo-valve.

To avoid chattering that may appears

as a result of applying a discontinuous
control action, the signum function in the Figure 3 Error time response ( )
control law (15) is replaced with inverse
tan function as a continuous and a
differentiable function. Therefore the
SMC law becomes:

= −Γ − ∗ (10 ∗ )

This design for the case = 200 g,

where the desired reference position Figure 4 Position of the system ( ) (response to
= 1 . The proposed sliding mode a unit step input) ( = 200 ).
controller will guide the states to the The phase plot, load pressure and
sliding surface in considerably proper the yielded hydraulic force ( ) are
time as shown in Figure 2. This is known plotted in Figures 5, 6 and 7 respectively.

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IJCCCE Vol.15, No.3, 2015

Shibly Ahmed AL-Samarraie et al. Sliding Mode Control for Electro-Hydraulic

Servo System

It can be noted that for 1 desired

position the load pressure and the
yielded hydraulic force ( ) are within
acceptable limits. The hydraulic force
( ) represents the actual deriving force
that controls the mechanical system.

Figure 8 Sliding mode control action

To demonstrate the robustness of the
proposed controller the simulation is
repeated for the case where = 75 g. The
simulation results are plotted in Figures 9
and 10 for the switching function and the
position respectively.
Figure 5 The error phase plot ( ( ), ( ))

Figure 9 Switching function time response

Figure 6 load pressure time response ( = 75 )

Figure 10 The system response ( ) ( = 75 )

Figure 7 The hydraulic force time response
( = ∗ Ω)

It can be noted that the position

The sliding mode control which is
response for = 200 and = 75
represented by current input is plotted are nearly equal especially during the
in Figure 8. The plot is smooth due to sliding phase where the system response
replacing the signum function by the arc influenced by the parameters variation
tan function where the chattering effect is and disturbances only in the reaching
eliminated. phase.

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IJCCCE Vol.15, No.3, 2015

Shibly Ahmed AL-Samarraie et al. Sliding Mode Control for Electro-Hydraulic

Servo System

The ability of the proposed sliding 6. Conclusion

mode controller is tested for the piecewise The sliding mode control has been
constant desired position with = utilized in this work to design a robust
200 . The error state ( ) with time is control to the electro-hydraulic servo
plotted in Figure 11. As seen from the system. The switching function has been
figure the error is incredibly small and the constructed such that the relative degree
position of the system ( ), as shown in equals to one in order to apply the
Figure 12, reaches the desired level conventional sliding mode control which
smoothly and firmly as expected. it also named as FOSMC. In sliding
motion mode the response has been
shown to be asymptotically stable for a
positive selection of and with the
desired system dynamics characteristics
and irrespective to the variations in the
system load mass. This proves the
stability of the proposed control. The
effectiveness and the robustness of the
proposed control have been also proved
Figure 11 Error time response ()
via the numerical simulations for two
( = 200 )
different loads mass (200 75 ).
The results showed a fast response to
track the reference step value in spite of
the variation in load mass which is
influenced also by the parameters
selection of the sliding mode control law
( , and in (8) & (15) respectively).
Moreover the sliding mode controller has
also been tested for a pricewise constant
Figure 12 Position of the system ( ) response desired position which again proved its
( = 200 ) ability to force the position to follow the
desired path.
Moreover the load pressure is
clarified in Figure 13 which it actuates the References
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Shibly Ahmed AL-Samarraie et al. Sliding Mode Control for Electro-Hydraulic

Servo System

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