5 ECTS credits
145 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1004219BNR for all students in the 1st and 2nd semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester
1st and 2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Om te kunnen inschrijven voor Systeem- en controletheorie moet men geslaagd zijn voor Lineaire algebra: stelsels, matrices en afbeeldingen en ingeschreven of geslaagd zijn voor Complexe analyse: residurekening en integraaltransformaties, het technologieproject Werktuigkunde en Elektrotechniek en voor 1 van de 3 overige technologieprojecten.
Taught in
Dutch
Faculty
Faculteit Ingenieurswetenschappen
Department
Electricity
Educational team
Yves Rolain (course titular)
John Lataire
Activities and contact hours
42 contact hours Lecture
16 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
Course Content

The course consists of two parts.

  • Part 1: Introduction to system theory. Describing the behaviour of linear dynamic systems (continuous time, discrete time) in the time domain and in the frequency domain. It is also shown how these descriptions can be combined with information from measurements (sampling, discrete Fourier transform, reconstruction).
  • Part 2: Introduction to control theory considers the analysis (calculus with block diagrams, state-space equations, time response, frequency response, root locus, Nyquis diagram, Bode plot) and design of feedback controllers (state feedback controllers, compensation regulators such as PD, lead, PI, lag, and PID). The concepts introduced in this course are illustrated on a number of practical examples. The course ends with an introduction to digital and nonlinear control.
Course material
Course text (Required) : System and control theory. Signal and systems, Systeemtheorie, Rolain, VUB, 2220170019994, 2023
Course text (Required) : Systeem- en controletheorie, Deel II: controletheorie, Lataire, VUB, 2220170010281, 2023
Additional info

This course is not taught in English!

The course notes are made available in Canvas and printed at the Standaard student shop:

  • System theory (Inleiding tot de systeemtheorie)
  • Controletheorie

Literature is mentioned and available at the library of the university.

Learning Outcomes

General competencies

General Aims and objectives

Understanding the behaviour of linear dynamic systems and verify this insight by experiments.
Knowing the basic aspects of control theory

Exam requirements

  • System theory
    1. The student understands the behaviour of linear dynamic systems and can describe it in the continuous and discrete time
    2. The student masters the relationship between the time and the frequency domain
    3. The student understands the sampling process and is able to use the discrete Fourier transforms
  • Control theory
    1. The student understands the basic components of a feed forward and feedback controller and knows their pros and cons.
    2. The student can simplify block diagrams.
    3. De student kan bode diagrams en Nyquist diagrams interpreteren en aan de hand ervan de stabiliteit van de gesloten lus regelkring voorspellen.
    4. The student can interprete Bode diagrams and Nyquist diagrams and use them to predict the stability of the closed loop controller
    5. The student can calculate the static error on the step response of a feedback controller and knows how the error can be set to zero
    6. The student can draw the root locus and knows how to interprete it for the design of PID controllers.
    7. The student understands the pros and cons of the proportional, the derivative and the integral action of a PID controller and how these actions contribute to the control performance and disturbance rejection.
    8. The student can design a PID controller conceptually.
    9. The student understands the concepts observability and controllability of state-space models and can determine if they are satisfied for a given system.
    10. The student can design an observer for a given state-space model.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Other Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Mond. examen incl. lab & oef with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

    Note: Het examen over het deel systeemtheorie + bijhorende oefeningen wordt afgenomen in de zittijd van het 1e semester.

Additional info regarding evaluation
  • Oral exam, closed book,
  • Emphasis on understanding, reproducing is not enough.
Oral exam System theory 1/3
Oral exam Control theory 1/3
Oral exam Labo+exercises 1/3

Remark: 1/3 of the score on the part Labo+exercises can be set by evaluations during the sessions.

The exam on the part system theory and corresponding exercises are taken in the 1st semester session, the part on control theory and corresponding labo's are taken in the 2nd semester session.

Important note: absence at one or more parts of the exam results in an "absence" evaluation of the whole course.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Engineering: Mechanical and Electrotechnical Engineering (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Engineering: verkort traject werktuigkunde-elektrotechniek na vooropleiding industriële wetenschappen (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Engineering: verkort traject werktuigkunde-elektrotechniek na vooropleiding fysica (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Teaching in Science and Technology: ingenieurswetenschappen (120 ECTS, Etterbeek) (only offered in Dutch)
Preparatory Programme Master of Science in Electromechanical Engineering: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)