Turnpike solutions of optimal control problems

Minimizing sequences for degenerate optimal control problems are constructed from turnpike solutions. Two variational approximation schemes for the turnpike solution are described: the first is a direct improvement of the simple approximation of piecewise-continuous turnpikes by the solutions of the initial differential system and the second consists of constructing an approximate optimal control in the neighborhood of a turnpike by a parametric curve in the state space. Since a sequence of state-linear feedback controls with variable coefficients is generated in both variants, turnpikes can be easily realized in practice. © Pleiades Publishing, Inc., 2006.