This book presents the research and development results on power systems oscillations in three categories of analytical methods. First is damping torque analysis which was proposed in 1960’s, further developed between 1980-1990, and widely used in industry. Second is modal analysis which developed between the 1980’s and 1990’s as the most powerful method. Finally the linearized equal-area criterion analysis that is proposed and developed recently. The book covers three main types of controllers: Power System Stabilizer (PSS), FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems) stabilizer, and ESS (Energy Storage Systems) stabilizer. The book provides a systematic and detailed introduction on the subject as the reference for industry applications and academic research.

The storage yard is the operational and geographical centre of most seaport container terminals. Therefore, it is of particular importance for the whole terminal system and plays a major role for trade and transport flows. One of the latest trends in container-storage operations is the automated Rail-Mounted-Gantry-Crane system, which offers dense stacking, and offers low labour costs. This book investigates whether the operational performance of container terminals is influenced by the design of these storage systems and to what extent the performance is affected by the terminal's framework conditions, and discusses the strategies applied for container stacking and crane scheduling. A detailed simulation model is presented to compare the performance effects of alternative storage designs, innovative planning strategies, and other influencing factors. The results have useful implications future research, practical terminal planning and optimisation.

This book deals with continuous time dynamic neural networks theory applied to the solution of basic problems in robust control theory, including identification, state space estimation (based on neuro-observers) and trajectory tracking. The plants to be identified and controlled are assumed to be a priori unknown but belonging to a given class containing internal unmodelled dynamics and external perturbations as well. The error stability analysis and the corresponding error bounds for different problems are presented. The effectiveness of the suggested approach is illustrated by its application to various controlled physical systems (robotic, chaotic, chemical, etc.).

Papers from a conference organised for undergraduates at the University of Chester, November 2006. The papers discuss the complex relationships between mediation, representation and public attitudes on social issues such as domestic violence, drug use, racism, stigma and surveillance. Contents: Political Representation & Democracy: What is Wrong with the Political Public Sphere?, by Darren G. Lilleker (Bournemouth University); Changing Representations of Race in the News: Theoretical, Empirical and Policy Implications, by Ian Law (University of Leeds); Constructing the Victim and Perpetrator of Domestic Violence, by Paula Wilcox (University of Brighton); Mental Health and the Media: Con(Texts) of Public Fear and Prejudice, by Lisa Blackman (Goldsmiths, University of London); The Media and Illicit Drug Use: Fairy Tales for the Early 21st Century?, by Adrian Barton (University of Plymouth); Sleepwalking into an Orwellian Nightmare: Surveillance, Policing and Control in the 21st Century, by John Harrison (University of Teesside); Manhattan Masquerade: Sexuality and Spectacle in the World of Quentin Crisp, by Mark J. Bendall (University of Chester).

Comprehensive and accessible guide to the three main approaches to robust control design and its applications Optimal control is a mathematical field that is concerned with control policies that can be deduced using optimization algorithms. The optimal control approach to robust control design differs from conventional direct approaches to robust control that are more commonly discussed by firstly translating the robust control problem into its optimal control counterpart, and then solving the optimal control problem. Robust Control Design: An Optimal Control Approach offers a complete presentation of this approach to robust control design, presenting modern control theory in an concise manner. The other two major approaches to robust control design, the H_infinite approach and the Kharitonov approach, are also covered and described in the simplest terms possible, in order to provide a complete overview of the area. It includes up-to-date research, and offers both theoretical and practical applications that include flexible structures, robotics, and automotive and aircraft control. Robust Control Design: An Optimal Control Approach will be of interest to those needing an introductory textbook on robust control theory, design and applications as well as graduate and postgraduate students involved in systems and control research. Practitioners will also find the applications presented useful when solving practical problems in the engineering field.

Advanced Mathematical Tools for Automatic Control Engineers, Volume 2: Stochastic Techniques provides comprehensive discussions on statistical tools for control engineers. The book is divided into four main parts. Part I discusses the fundamentals of probability theory, covering probability spaces, random variables, mathematical expectation, inequalities, and characteristic functions. Part II addresses discrete time processes, including the concepts of random sequences, martingales, and limit theorems. Part III covers continuous time stochastic processes, namely Markov processes, stochastic integrals, and stochastic differential equations. Part IV presents applications of stochastic techniques for dynamic models and filtering, prediction, and smoothing problems. It also discusses the stochastic approximation method and the robust stochastic maximum principle. - Provides comprehensive theory of matrices, real, complex and functional analysis - Provides practical examples of modern optimization methods that can be effectively used in variety of real-world applications - Contains worked proofs of all theorems and propositions presented

The yard block of a container terminal is the central point of synchronisation for asynchronous container flows between deep-sea vessels and transport to the hinterland. The structure of the block stipulates that containers are stacked on top of each other with only the topmost container directly accessible by a yard crane. This book describes a holistic and integrative approach to container handling in yard blocks to optimise productivity by minimising re-handling operations. The results provide insights for academic scholars as well as for experts from practical terminal planning and operations. The approach presented is two-fold: first, a theoretical foundation of the interdependencies in decision-making is established using mathematical programming. Secondly, operations involving uncertain container arrival information are examined on the basis of a simulation with a rigorous experimental design and statistical evaluation. In this context, the book develops container-handling strategies and analyses the impact of a system for vehicle arrival management – the "Terminal Appointment System". The findings presented in this book are the result of a close cooperation with experts at the port of Hamburg and build on previous research.