DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF ENERGY-BASED SWING-UP AND LQR CONTROL STRATEGIES FOR AN INVERTED PENDULUM ON A CART

  • Tran Xuan Tien Hung Yen University of Technology and Education
  • Nguyen Van Cong Hung Yen University of Technology and Education
Keywords: Inverted Pendulum, Euler-Lagrange Equations, Swing-up Control, Lyapunov Function, LQR.

Abstract

The cart-inverted pendulum is a fundamental underactuated nonlinear system, extensively utilized as a benchmark for validating control algorithms. This paper proposes a comprehensive hybrid control architecture addressing both the swing-up and upright stabilization problems. The dynamic model is derived using the Euler-Lagrange formulation and locally linearized via the Jacobian matrix. Initially, a Lyapunov-based controller pumps energy into the system, driving the total mechanical energy to the upright equilibrium. Upon entering the linear basin of attraction, the system seamlessly transitions to a fixed-gain Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) using a normalized angle (θwrap) logic to maintain balance. Simulations validate the hybrid algorithm and demonstrate the LQR’s enhanced performance in eliminating transient overshoot and rejecting aggressive dynamic disturbances (up to ± 3 N impulses under ± 25 N actuator saturation constraints). Quantitative evaluation further confirms that the system maintains a low angular Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.48o under persistent white noise and remains stable under parametric uncertainties of up to ±10%.

References

T. Maeba, M. Deng, A. Yanou, and T. Henmi, “Swing-up Controller Design for Inverted Pendulum

by Using Energy Control Method Based on Lyapunov Function,” ICIC Express Letters, vol. 4, no.

, pp. 768–773, 2010.

S. Irfan, L. Zhao, S. Ullah, A. Mehmood, and M. F. U. Butt, “Control strategies for inverted

pendulum: A comparative analysis of linear, nonlinear, and artificial intelligence approaches,” PLoS

One, vol. 19, no. 3, Mar. 2024, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298093.

K. Furuta, “Swinging up a pendulum by energy control,” Automatica, vol. 36, pp. 287–295, 2000.

A. M. Al Juboori, M. T. Hussein, and A. S. G. Qanber, “Swing-up control of double-inverted

pendulum systems,” Mech. Sci., vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 47–54, Jan. 2024, doi: 10.5194/ms-15-47-2024.

D. B. Pham, Q. T. Dao, and T. V. A. Nguyen, “Optimized Hierarchical Sliding Mode Control for the

Swing-Up and Stabilization of a Rotary Inverted Pendulum,” Autom. 2024, Vol. 5, Pages 282-296,

vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 282–296, Jul. 2024, doi: 10.3390/automation5030017.

M. Mabrouk, S. Ammar, and J.-C. Vivalda, “Transformation Synthesis for Euler-Lagrange Systems,”

Nonlinear Dyn. Syst. Theory, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 197–216, 2007, Accessed: Mar. 21, 2026. [Online].

Available: www.e-ndst.kiev.ua

Q. Le Lidec, W. Jallet, L. Montaut, I. Laptev, C. Schmid, and J. Carpentier, “Contact Models in

Robotics: a Comparative Analysis,” Jul. 2024, doi: 10.1109/TRO.2024.3403332.

V.-D. Nguyen et al., “Trajectory Tracking and Stabilization Control of Rotary Inverted Pendulum

based on LQR and LQT Techniques: Simulation and Experiment,” J. Tech. Educ. Sci., no. 75A, pp.

–11, 2023, doi: 10.54644/jte.75a.2023.1277.

N.-C. Tran et al., “LQR Control for Experimental Double Rotary Inverted Pendulum,” J. Fuzzy Syst.

Control, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 104–108, May 2024, doi: 10.59247/jfsc.v2i2.212.

H. Chi et al., “Trajectory Tracking and Stabilization Control of Rotary Inverted Pendulum based on

LQR and LQT Techniques: Simulation and Experiment,” J. Tech. Educ. Sci., vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 1–11,

Feb. 2023, doi: 10.54644/jte.75a.2023.1277.

I. J. P. Crowe-Wright and I. J. P. Crowe-Wright, “Control Theory: The Double Pendulum Inverted

on a Cart,” Math. Stat. ETDs, Dec. 2018, Accessed: Mar. 21, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://

digitalrepository.unm.edu/math_etds/132.

M. J. Groen and A. Polanski, “Formulation of the Piecewise Linear Control of an Inverted Pendulum

as a Linear Complementarity Problem,” Systems & Control Letters, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 63–75, May

, doi: 10.1016/S0167-6911(98)00007-6

Published
2026-03-10
How to Cite
Tran Xuan Tien, & Nguyen Van Cong. (2026). DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF ENERGY-BASED SWING-UP AND LQR CONTROL STRATEGIES FOR AN INVERTED PENDULUM ON A CART. Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 49, 74-80. Retrieved from https://jst.utehy.edu.vn/index.php/jst/article/view/853