System Analysis of a Single Mast System

The contribution is devoted to the system-theoretical analysis of a flexible structure system, represented by a single mast system, whose evolution is governed by coupled (nonlinear) ordinary and partial differential equations. The proposed formal approach is based on a covariant description for this distributed-parameter system within a differential geometric framework, where suitable geometric objects reflect its dynamics. Then, in particular, the qualitative property (non-)accessibility along a fixed trajectory is discussed. It is outlined that the application of transformation groups and an infinitesimal invariance criterion allow to derive conditions for the (local) (non-)accessibility of the considered infinite-dimensional system.