Integration of Life Sciences and Engineering - Highly Infectious Diseases in Population : Control System Analysis and Synthesis

Abstract

The research in this master's thesis focuses on the integration of engineering and biological sciences. The thesis starts with a literature survey to find out the model of a highly infectious disease such as smallpox among a certain metropolitan population. The chosen nonlinear model is simulated using MATLAB and Simulink to obtain input-output relations in the time domain. Next, the nonlinear model is linearized around an equilibrium point to demonstrate the analysis of the linear system exhibiting control system characteristics such as controllability, observability, and stability. Finally, from the control system synthesis (design) point of view, the theory of linear optimal control has been implemented on the linearized model. The problem of finite-horizon linear quadratic regulation has been investigated to provide the necessary optimal feedback to the smallpox model.