Integrated ship control using H∞ robust design techniques

This paper describes an integrated control system structure which has been developed for total ship control. The structural properties of the ships dynamics and kinematics are considered and the model is decomposed into four main coupled subsystems. A robust control design strategy which takes into account the interactions between the subsystems but maintains many of the well established loop control structures, is described. Design of the individual ship control functions, (autopilot, roll stabilisation and track keeping), using robust techniques is considered and illustrated by design examples