Safe-by-Design: Approximate Nonlinear Model Predictive Control with Real Time Feasibility

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Main Authors: Olucak, Jan, de Oliveira, Arthur Castello B., Cunis, Torbjørn
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Olucak, Jan
de Oliveira, Arthur Castello B.
Cunis, Torbjørn
author_facet Olucak, Jan
de Oliveira, Arthur Castello B.
Cunis, Torbjørn
contents This paper establishes relationships between continuous-time, receding horizon, nonlinear model predictive control (MPC) and control Lyapunov and control barrier functions (CLF/CBF). We show that, if the cost function "behaves well" for points in the terminal set, then the optimal value function and the feasible set, respectively, define a compatible CLF/CBF pair on the MPC's region of attraction. We then proceed to prove that any approximation of the value function and the feasible set also define a CLF/CBF pair, as long as those approximations satisfy the same "well behavedness" condition; and that a feasible state feedback can be computed by solving an infinitesimal version of the MPC problem. This methodology permits the formulation of continuous-time small-sized quadratic programs for feedback and enables approximate solutions of the nonlinear model predictive controller with theoretical safety and convergence guarantee. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach when compared to other constrained control techniques through numerical experiments for nonlinear constrained spacecraft control.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_22422
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Safe-by-Design: Approximate Nonlinear Model Predictive Control with Real Time Feasibility
Olucak, Jan
de Oliveira, Arthur Castello B.
Cunis, Torbjørn
Optimization and Control
Systems and Control
This paper establishes relationships between continuous-time, receding horizon, nonlinear model predictive control (MPC) and control Lyapunov and control barrier functions (CLF/CBF). We show that, if the cost function "behaves well" for points in the terminal set, then the optimal value function and the feasible set, respectively, define a compatible CLF/CBF pair on the MPC's region of attraction. We then proceed to prove that any approximation of the value function and the feasible set also define a CLF/CBF pair, as long as those approximations satisfy the same "well behavedness" condition; and that a feasible state feedback can be computed by solving an infinitesimal version of the MPC problem. This methodology permits the formulation of continuous-time small-sized quadratic programs for feedback and enables approximate solutions of the nonlinear model predictive controller with theoretical safety and convergence guarantee. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach when compared to other constrained control techniques through numerical experiments for nonlinear constrained spacecraft control.
title Safe-by-Design: Approximate Nonlinear Model Predictive Control with Real Time Feasibility
topic Optimization and Control
Systems and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.22422