liu, jing (Beijing Jiaotong University), Jiang, Lu (Signal &Communication Research institute,China Academy of Railwa), Liu, Hongjie (Beijing Jiaotong University), Luo, Xiaolin (Beijing Jiaotong University)

Distributed Nonlinear Model Predictive Control for Virtually Coupled Train Set with Relative-Braking Distance

Scheduled for presentation during the Video Session "On-Demand Video Presentations" (VP-VP), Saturday, November 22, 2025, 08:00−18:00, On-Demand Platform

2025 IEEE 28th International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC), November 18-21, 2025, Gold Coast, Australia

This information is tentative and subject to change. Compiled on April 2, 2026

Abstract

Virtual coupling is effective to significantly improve railway services, by forming multiple train units as a virtually coupled train set (VCTS) resorting to communication and control technologies. However, since two successive units need to be separated by a nonlinear relative-braking distance for collision avoidance, it is still challenging to achieve distributed control for VCTS with coupled dynamics. Thus, this paper proposes a distributed nonlinear model predictive control (DNMPC) approach, which is based on compatibility constraint designs, constraint tightening techniques and terminal ingredient tuning. Specifically, the compatibility constraints are designed to confine prediction errors, such that constraint satisfaction can be ensured after tightening. By analyzing the boundedness and contractiveness of tracking errors, terminal sets and controllers are formulated from sufficient conditions that guarantee stability and recursive feasibility for DNMPC. Finally, experimental results demonstrate the performance and advantages of our approach.