Exact penalty methods for nonlinear optimal control problems

Abstract

Research comprised of developing solution techniques to three classes of non-standard optimal control problems, namely: optimal control problems with discontinuous objective functions arising in aquaculture operations; impulsive optimal control problems with minimum subsystem durations; optimal control problems involving dual-mode hybrid systems with state-dependent switching conditions. The numerical algorithms developed involved an exact penalty approach to transform the constrained problem into an unconstrained problem which was readily solvable by a standard optimal control software.