Formulation and solution of a generalized Chebyshev problem. II (Q2227798)

It is studied a mathematical model of a horizontally moving cart (with given mass) carrying \(s\) pendulums (with given masses). The studied problem is to bring the considered mechanical system in a specified in advance time from a given initial (motionless) state to a given (motionless) state. This problem is formulated as an optimal control problem by adding a suitable criterion and solved by using the Pontryagin maximum principle (PMP). The case of a cart with two pendulums (\(s=2\)) is considered in more details and numerically solved (first, by using the PMP necessary conditions, and next by applying the so called generalized Gauss principle (cf., for example, [\textit{N. N. Polyakhov} et al., Vestn. Leningr. Univ., Mat. Mekh. Astron. 1984, No. 1, 73--79 (1984; Zbl 0533.70014)])). Both solutions are analyzed and compared.