On the skew and sway control of container cranes

Abstract

It is conventional to control the sway of the container cranes based on a two dimensional model. Unfortunately, two dimensional models are not capable of controlling the skew of container cranes. Moreover, the anti-sway controllers make the skew intensified. In this paper, we add another degree of freedom to a three dimensional container crane model by installing two wagons in the trolley to impose a couple force for regulating both its sways and skew to zero using State Dependent Riccati equation (SDRE) controller. As the couple force only have rotational effect on the container platform, and is a free vector it will not change the dynamic of the system. Furthermore, SDRE controllers are the extended version of LQR, they will lead into an optimal result while being simple in controlling a system with three inputs and being loyal to nonlinear characteristics of the system. We will simulate the controller on a 3D model with the trolley acceleration of 0.8.