Enforcing negative imaginary dynamics on mathematical system models

Flexible structures with collocated force actuators and position sensors lead to negative imaginary dynamics. However, in some cases, the mathematical models obtained for these systems, for example, using system identification methods may not yield a negative imaginary system. This paper provides two methods for enforcing negative imaginary dynamics on such mathematical models, given that it is known that the underlying dynamics ought to belong to this system class. The first method is based on a study of the spectral properties of Hamiltonian matrices. A test for checking the negativity of the imaginary part of a corresponding transfer function matrix is first developed. If an associated Hamiltonian matrix has pure imaginary axis eigenvalues, the mathematical model loses the negative imaginary property in some frequency bands. In such cases, a first-order perturbation method is proposed for iteratively collapsing the frequency bands whose negative imaginary property is violated and finally displacing the eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian matrix away from the imaginary axis, thus restoring the negative imaginary dynamics. In the second method, direct spectral properties of the imaginary part of a transfer function are used to identify the frequency bands where the negative imaginary properties are violated. A pointwise-in-frequency scheme is then proposed to restore the negative imaginary system properties in the mathematical model. © 2013 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.