Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Machine Learning and Cybernetics, Guangzhou, 18-21 August 2005

MULTIPLE MODEL ADAPTIVE CONTROL OF ANTILOCK BRAKE

SYSTEM VIA BACKSTEPPING APPROACH
REN-GUANG WANG
1,2
, ZHAO-DU LIU
1
, ZHI-QUAN QI
1
, YUE-FENG MA
1
, HAI-FENG CUI
1


1
National Lab of Auto Performance and Emission Test, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081,China

2
Department of Automotive Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology and Education ,Tianjin 300222,China
E-MAIL: wangrenguang@bit.edu.cn,
Abstract :
Application of multiple model adaptive control (MMAC)
approach in the anti-lock brake system (ABS) was discussed.
The design process of ABS MMAC controllers via
Backstepping approach was presented. The high adhesion
fixed model, medium adhesion fixed model, low adhesion fixed
model and adaptive model were four models used in MMAC.
The switching rules of different model controllers were also
presented. Simulation was conduced for ABS control system
using MMAC method basing on quarter vehicle model.
Results show this method can control wheel slip ratio more
accurately, and has higher robustness, therefore it improve
ABS performance effectively.
Keywords:
Multiple Model Adaptive Control; Backstepping
Approach; Antilock Brake System
1. Introduction
The logic threshold method is widely used in vehicle
ABS, but determination of thresholds needs many road tests.
The ideal ABS control should be able to make wheel get
optimal and stable slip ratio. Many researchers think it
necessary to study control methods basing on wheel slip
ratio
[1] [2] [3]
. But the slip ratio is hard to define accurately
because that vehicle speed used in calculating slip ratio is
estimated with error, not measured directly. With fast
development of sensor technology, we think vehicle speed
problem will be settled at low cost. Modern control
methods, with high reliability, adaptability and accuracy,
basing on wheel slip ratio, will become the trend of ABS
technology [4].
Wheel slip ratio is continuous controlled, which can
use method such as PID control, optimal control and
Variable Structure Control with Sliding Mode (VSCSM) etc.
The PID method is simple, but because of complicity of
braking condition and nonlinear characteristics of tire, it is
hard to find optimal matching parameters for this method.
The optimal control method takes the maximum value
of - s curve as its target output value. This method needs
mathematical model of vehicle, its performance depends on
accuracy of vehicle model on a larger degree. In practical
application, it is affected seriously by model error and other
ambient conditions such as wind and road surface.
The VSCSM method has good robustness and faster
response speed, and it is insensitive to parameter change
and disturbance. Many researchers have focused on
application of VSCSM in ABS[5][6][7] , but there are two
main problems need further work, which are the chatter
during switching line sliding process and how to realize fast
tracking in control process.
We designed ABS MMAC controller using
Backstepping approach trying to get desired result. The
simulation results show that new system has satisfying
ability in wheel slip ratio tracking, response speed and
control accuracy.
2. ABS MMAC controller
The ABS MMAC controller consists of high adhesion
fixed model, medium adhesion fixed model, low adhesion
fixed model and adaptive model. In order to get faster
convergence, we use the fixed model which has minimum
error with real vehicle condition as the initial value of the
adaptive model. MMAC controller select system model
according to selected performance index, and take the
selected model output as ABS controller output. The design
process and switching rules between models are discussed
in the following parts. The schematic diagram of structure
of ABS MMAC controller is shown in figure 1.
2.1. Design of fixed model controller
Basing on a quarter vehicle dynamics model,
neglecting air resistance and tire rolling drag, we get the
governing equation (1) and (2) as follows:
0-7803-9091-1/05/$20.00 2005 IEEE
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Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Machine Learning and Cybernetics, Guangzhou, 18-21 August 2005
) ( ) (
4
t T r s g
m
dt
d
I
b
=

( ) s g v
(1)
= 2
where m is mass of vehicle with kg; is acceleration
of vehicle speed with m/s2;
v
is wheel angular speed with
rad/s; r is wheel radius with m; is the moment of inertia
of wheel with kgm2;

I
(s) is coherent coefficient of tire
changing with slip ratio ; T
b
(t) is brake torque with N-m; s
is wheel slip ratio dimensionless.

Figure 1. Schematic of structure of ABS MMAC controller
Wheel slip ratio can be defined as equation (3).
v
r
s

=

1 3
Derivative of equation (1) can yield equation (4).
|
.
|

\
|
=
r
v
s
v
v

4
Equation (4) is rewritten as:
( s
v
v
s |
.
|

\
|
= 1

) 5
From equation(1),(2)and (5) , we get
( )
( )
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
+

I
T r
s g
m
I
r
m
s
v
s
b
4
1 4 1
2

6
About the fixed model of MMAC controller, if model
structure and its parameter are known, we can design
controller using the definite nonlinear controller method.
In this paper we use backstepping approach to develop
fixed model controller.
Take brake lag into account, brake model is expressed
as equation (7).

u
s
T
b

1
1
b
+
=

7
Where
b
is dimensionless time constant; is
Laplace operator; is the input variable (brake torque).
s
u
The derivative of equation7yeilds,
( )
b b b
T u =

T 8
Let s0 represent optimal slip ratio(reference slip
ratio) , , u , then Eq.
6, 7and 8simplified into Eq.9and (10).
0
s s z = a z =
b b
T T u = =
a z = 9
( )
( )
( )
(

(
+

|
|
.
|

\
|
+

+ + =
u
I
r
s z g
m
I
r
m
s z
s z a g
v
a
b

0
2
0
0
4
1 4
2
1

10
Equations (9) and (10) form the parametric
stick-feedback system equations. Then we get following
results according to theory of nonlinear MMAC via
backstepping approach [8].
]

=
=
=
=
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
+

+ =
= =
1 2
1 1 1
1
0
0
2
0
0 0
2 1
) (
4
) 1 ( 4
) ( 2 [
1
0

a z
z c
z z
v I
r
s z g
m
I
r
m
s z
s z a g
v
b

11
592
Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Machine Learning and Cybernetics, Guangzhou, 18-21 August 2005
Substituting corresponding variables in the adaptive
law equation(for detail ,refer to [8]), using equations listed
in equation (11), we get ,the input argument of fixed
model ABS controller as follows:
( )( ) ( ) {
( )
( )
}
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
+

+ + =
s
b
s g
m
I
r
m
s
s s g
v
s c c s s c c
r
v I
u

4
1 4
2
1
1
2
2 1 0 2 1
12
where and are positive design parameters,
which modulate performance of controller.
1
c
2
c
Substitute ( ) s in equation (12) with corresponding
formula under three different adherent conditions, we get
fixed controller structure corresponding high adhesion fixed
mode, medium adhesion fixed model, low adhesion fixed
model respectively.
2.2. Design of adaptive model controller
For the adaptive model in multiple model controller,
its model structure and parameters are unknown. In order to
improve system robustness, and estimate parameters of
system model more accurately, we design adaptive model
controller via backstepping approach. Equation (9) and (10)
constitute ABS model basing on wheel slip ratio.
To simplify controller design, the dual-linear -s
model is adopted (shown as Figure 2) in the design.

>

=
=
op
op
h bp
op
op h bp
op
op
bp
s s s
s s
s
s s s
s
1 1

13





Figure 2. Dual-linear model of -s (longitudinal)
Insert equation (13) into equation (10), we get
following results (including two cases):

Case 1: when s > sop

The parametric-strict-feedback system equations are
changed into equation (14) and(15) as follows:
a z = 14

[ { ( )
( )
] } u
I
r
s
a g
m
I
r
m
s z
s z a g
v
a
b op
bp

|
|
.
|

\
|
+

+ + =
4
1 4
2
1
2
0
0

(15)
Let
op
bp
s

= , compared with parametric

strict-feedback system equations [8], can get following
equation group(16) as follows
[ ( )
( )
]

=
=
=
=

|
|
.
|

\
|
+

+
+ =
= =
1 2
1 1
1
0
2
0
0 2
1 0
4
1 4
2
1
0

a z
z c
z z
v I
r
a g
m
I
r
m
s z
s z a g
v
b
(16)
Then control law and adaptive law of in case 1 can
be expressed as follows:
( )( ) ( { )
}

4
1 2
1
1
2
2 1 0 2 1

(

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ + +
+ + =
s g
I
mr
s s
v
s c c s s c c
r
v I
u
b

17

( ) ( )
0 1
2
4
1 2
1

s s c s s g
I
mr
s s
v
+
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ + =

18
where is adaptive gain.
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Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Machine Learning and Cybernetics, Guangzhou, 18-21 August 2005
Case 2: when
op
s s >
Let
1
1


=

op
op h bp
s
s
and
2
1


=

op
h bp
s
,
The parametric strict-feedback system equations are
changed into:
19 a z =

[ { ( )
( )
] } u
I
r
a g a g
m
I
r
m
s z
s z a g
v
a
b

|
|
.
|

\
|
+

+ =
2 1
2
0
0
2
4
1 4
2
1

20
We get control law and adaptive law of under case 2 as
follows:
( )( ) ( ) {
}
2 1
2
2 1 0 2 1
2
4
1 2
1

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ +
+ + =
s
v
g
s
v
g
I
mr
s s
s c c s s c c
r
v I
u
b

(21)
( ) ( )
(
(
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
+

+ =
(
(

s
v
g
s
v
g
I
mr
s s
s s c s

2
4
1 2

2
0 1
2
1

(22)
The control variable in fixed model ABS controller
and adaptive model ABS controller is the change of brake
torque, but practical ABS is not directly controlled through
brake braking torque. It is necessary to change control
signal from brake torque into modulator control signal in
building, dumping and holing modes. We adapted the pulse
width modulation (PMW) to realize the switch shown as
Figure 3.
23

<
<

=
u holding pressure
u dumping pressure
u building pressure
u
cmd


Figure3. Schematic diagram of switch control decision
where
cmd
is control signal of modulator; is
defined switching value.

2.3. Switching scheme and adaptive model initial

parameter resetting
As shown in Fig.1, let represent output(slip ratio)
of adaptive model, , and represent outputs(slip
ratio) of high adhesion fixed model ,medium adhesion fixed
model and low adhesion fixed model respectively,
represent accurate real slip ratio of tire; e = - ;
= - ; = - ; = - .
1

p
s
3
p
s
2

p
s
3

p
s

p
s
3
4

p
s
4 I
e
p
s
p
s
1 I
p
s
1

p
s
2 I
e
2

p
s
p
s
I
e
4

p
s
The performance evaluating function is defined as
equation (24).
24
( ) ( ) ( ) d e t e t J
t
Ij Ij j

+ =
0
2
2
2
1
where
1
( 0
1
)and
2
( 0
2
), are used to
control importance of current and past measurement in
equation (24).
At every instant, when the model j can make index
function equation (24) get minimum value, the model j
controller become the current controller. If the current
controller is adaptive one, it need not reset parameter value.
But if fixed model controller is in using, the adaptive model
initial value should be reset according to table 1, and the
adaptive model performance function is also changed into
fixed model performance function corresponding to the
current controller. The switching into fixed model controller
can improve system dynamic response speed, and the
adaptive model controller can assure system convergence.
The stability of nonlinear multiple model controller has not
been perfectly proved in theory. But from the design
process, our system can meet requirement of Lyapunov
asymptotic stability. The following simulation can also
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Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Machine Learning and Cybernetics, Guangzhou, 18-21 August 2005
support this aspect.
Table 1. System parameter value for different fixed model
3. Simulation results analysis
In this section simulation results show the MMAC
method can improve the ABS performance by comparison
with the conventional logic threshold approach. A quarter
vehicle model was used in simulation under three different
adherent conditions (high, medium and low adhesion) using
ABS MMAC controller. Through comparison, we find both
methods can prevent wheel from locking, but the MMAC
method can control slip ratio more accurately, reduce wheel
speed fluctuation and track the optimal slip ratio under
changing condition. With all these advantages, the MMAC
can make vehicle experience bigger average deceleration
and smaller braking distance consequently. For simulation
results under transition coefficient surface, the MMAC
method can also exhibit satisfied robustness. When the
target slip ratio is changed, simulation results indicate the
tracking control can realized using MMAC method. But
results also reflect that, when target slip ratio is located in
unstable range and has a bigger deviation amplitude with
the optimal value, the wheel can produce serious fluctuation.
This condition suggest the importance of online estimation
of optimal slip ratio, for details about this point, please
refer to paper [9].
4. Conclusions
The ABS MMAC method has higher robust
adaptability, which helps the braking wheel keep good
stability of slip ratio, hence improve ABS control
performance effectively.
Fixed
model
op
s
bp

h


1

2

High

0.17 0.92 0.70 5.41 0.96 0.27
Medium

0.2 0.72 0.55 3.6 0.76 0.21
Low

0.16 0.15 0.12 0.94 0.16 0.04
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank China Natural Science
Foundation Commission for the financial support.
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