Synchronization of a class of second order distributed parameter systems

In this work, we examine the synchronization control for a class of second order distributed parameter systems. The objective is to design controllers that guarantee agreement between the position and velocity states of N identical second order systems. The controller structure involves coupling terms consisting of the pairwise difference of both position and velocity states of the second order systems in order to enforce consensus. Possible improvements of the agreement amongst the states of each of the systems are considered and compared to the case of noninteracting controllers. Extensions to synchronizing controllers for the case of partial connectivity are discussed. Extensive numerical studies are included to provide a further insight on the effects of synchronization control of second order distributed parameter systems.