pH school

The port-Hamiltonian framework is a relatively recent approach to the modelling, analysis, and control of complex interconnected physical systems. It is particularly well suited to challenging applications involving distributed and networked systems, such as vibrating structures, electrical networks, and gas flow in pipelines. A key feature of the framework is that it explicitly represents both the energy stored within subsystems and the power exchanged between them. This enables the systematic construction of models for large-scale interconnected systems while preserving the underlying physical principles.

An important advantage of the port-Hamiltonian approach is that the resulting models are inherently passive. Passivity can be exploited in the design of controllers and estimators, leading to robust performance even in the presence of modelling uncertainties. For systems that depend on both time and spatial variables, port-Hamiltonian models naturally give rise to partial differential equations.

Numerical approximations are typically required for simulation, as well as for controller and estimator design. In this context, the development of structure-preserving discretization methods is essential to ensure that the discrete models retain the energy-based properties and interconnection structure of the original system.

This mini-course introduces the fundamentals of modelling with port-Hamiltonian systems and highlights their application to controller and estimator design. It also provides an introduction to structure-preserving discretization techniques. Each lecture will be followed by an interactive session, allowing participants to implement and explore the concepts.

• General introduction on modelling of physical systems by port-Hamiltonian systems  
• Controller design 
• Infinite-dimensional systems (PDEs) 
• Analysis, stability and boundary control of infinite dimensionalport-Hamiltonian systems  
• Discretization and control of infinite dimensional port-Hamiltonian systems  
• Irreversible port-Hamiltonian systems

The school will be held on the campus of the University of Waterloo, August 14-15 just before MTNS 2026 which is hosted by the University of Waterlo

David del Rey Fernandez (Waterloo, Canada),

Hannes Gernandt (Wuppertal, Germany),

Birgit Jacob (Wuppertal, Germany),

Yann Le Gorrec (Besançon, France),

Alessandro Macchelli (Bologna, Italy),

Hector Ramírez (Valparaíso, Chile) 

Registration to the school is free but mandatory. Please fill out this form to register for the School on Port-Hamiltonian Systems.

Birgit Jacob (University of  Wuppertal, Germany) and Kirsten Morris (University of Waterloo, Canada)

For more information, contact Kirsten Morris

Sponsored by NSERC (Canada), the University of Waterloo and  CRC 1701 (Germany)