Abstract
A method for the optimal control of self-adjoint distributed-parameter systems admitting closed-form eigensolutions is presented. For such systems, control of the actual distributed-parameter system is possible and no discretization is necessary. The control scheme is based on the concept of independent modal-space control, leading to a set of independent second-order matrix Riccati equations. The method requires as many actuators as the number of controlled modes. The number of sensors depends on the mode participation in the overall response.