Enhanced performance and robustness in anti-lock brake systems using barrier function-based integral sliding mode control

In anti-lock brake systems (ABS), the primary goal of the controller is to maximize vehicle deceleration by maintaining the slip ratio at an optimal level. This work presents a fresh approach that enhances ABS performance by integrating a sliding mode controller with a barrier function. This method combines integral sliding mode control with adaptive laws informed by barrier functions, effectively managing external disturbances and uncertainties in inertia. A significant benefit of this approach is that it does not require prior knowledge of the upper limits of these uncertainties and disturbances, thanks to the barrier function-based sliding mode control. The system state is initially aligned with the switching manifold, ensuring robust compensation for any uncertainties and disturbances right from the start of braking. During the sliding mode phase, dynamic properties are finely tuned to ensure that the system’s performance remains consistent. The effectiveness and reliability of the proposed controller have been demonstrated through numerical simulations conducted in MATLAB/Simulink, proving its capability across a range of road conditions.