Embedded order reduction of hierarchical systems within an mCCM framework

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the embedding of linear and nonlinear order reduction methods in a theoretical framework for handling hierarchically interconnected dynamical systems. Design/methodology/approach Based on the component connection modeling (CCM), a modified framework called mCCM for describing interconnected dynamic systems especially with hierarchical structures is introduced and used for order reduction purposes. The balanced truncation method for linear systems and the trajectory piecewise linear reduction scheme are used for the order reduction of systems described within the mCCM framework. Findings It is shown that order reduction methods can be embedded into the context of interconnected dynamical systems with the benefit of having a further degree of freedom in form of the hierarchical level, on which the order reduction is performed. Originality/value The aspect of hierarchy within system descriptions is exploited for order reduction purposes. This distinguishes the presented approach from common methods, which already start with single large-scale systems without explicitly considering hierarchical structures.