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# State Propagation with Numerical Integration
**Contents**
* [How Trick Does Numerical Integration](#how-trick-does-numerical-integration)
* [Derivative Class Jobs](#derivative-class-jobs)
* [Integration Class Jobs](#integration-class-jobs)
* [Configuring The Integration Scheduler](#configuring-the-integration-scheduler)
* [Updating the Cannonball Sim to use Numerical Integration](#updating-the-cannonball-sim-to-use-numerical-integration)
- [Listing - **cannon_numeric.h**](#listing_cannon_numeric_h)
* [Creating a Derivative Class Job](creating-a-derivative-class-job)
- [Listing - **cannon_deriv()**](#listing_cannon_deriv_func)
* [Creating an Integration Class Job](#creating-an-integration-class-job)
- [Listing - **cannon_integ()**](#listing_cannon_integ_func)
* [Updating the S_define File](#updating-the-s_define-file)
- [Listing - **S_define**](#listing_s_define)
* [Running The Cannonball With Trick Integration](#running-the-cannonball-with-trick-integration)
* [Numeric Versus Analytical](#numeric_vs_analytical)
***
## How Trick Does Numerical Integration
The type of model that we created in the last section relied on the fact that
the cannon ball problem has an closed-form solution from which we can
immediately calculate the cannon ball state [position, velocity] at any
arbitrary time. In real-world simulation problems, this will almost never
be the case.
In this section we will model the cannon ball using **numeric integration**,
a technique that can be used when no closed-form solution exists. Instead of
calculating state(n) by simply evaluating a function, it will be calculated by
integrating the state time derivatives [velocity, acceleration] over the
simulation time step from t(n-1) to t(n); adding that to the previous state(n-1).
The Trick integration scheme allows one to choose from amongst several
well-known integration algorithms, such as **Euler**, **Runge Kutta 2**, **Runge
Kutta 4**, and others. To provide simulation developers with a means of getting
data into and out of these algorithms, Trick defines the following two job
classes:
1. **derivative** class jobs - for calculating the state time derivatives.
2. **integration** class jobs - for integrating the state time derivatives
from time t(n-1) to t(n), to produce the next state.
A special **integ_loop** job scheduler coordinates the calls to these jobs.
Depending on the chosen integration algorithm, these jobs are called one or more
times per integration time step. For the Euler integration algorithm, they are
each only called once. For Runge Kutta 4 integration algorithm they are each
called 4 times per integration time step.
## Derivative Class Jobs
The purpose of a derivative class job is to generate model time derivatives
when it is called by the integration loop scheduler. If these derivatives are
dependent on the results of the corresponding integration, then they and the
time dependent quantities on which they depend should be calculated in the
derivative job.
For "F=ma" type models, derivative jobs calculate acceleration, by dividing the
sum of the forces applied to the object, whose state we are propagating, at a
given time, by its mass.
If acceleration is constant, then it does not really need to be calculated in a
derivative job. But if acceleration is a function of time, as when it is a
function of one or more of the model state variables, then it needs to be
calculated in a derivative job. Note that the time dependent quantities from
which acceleration is calculated should also be calculated in the derivative
job.
In the corresponding integration class job, the acceleration is then integrated
to produce velocity, and velocity is integrated to produce position.
### Example: A Skydiver
Suppose we want to model a skydiver plummeting to Earth. In our model we decide
to account for two forces that are acting on the skydiver:
1. The force of gravity.
2. The atmospheric drag force.
The force of gravity can be calculated using Newton's Law of Gravitation:
and the drag force can be calculated using the drag equation:
Notice that the force of gravity is dependent upon the skydiver position,
which is an integration result. Therefore the force of gravity needs to be
calculated in the derivative class job, prior to summing the forces.
Similarly, the drag force has state variable dependencies. It is obviously
dependent on velocity, but also notice that the atmospheric air density is a
function of altitude (position). So, it too should be calculated in the
derivative job.
Again, if the derivatives are dependent on the results of the corresponding
integration, then those derivatives and the time dependent quantities on which
they depend should be calculated in the derivative job.
## Integration Class Jobs
The purpose of a integration class job is to integrate the derivatives that were
calculated in the corresponding derivative jobs, producing the next simulation
state from the previous state.
Integration jobs generally look very similar. That is because they are expected
to do the same five things:
1. Load the state into the integrator.
2. Load the state derivatives into the integrator.
3. Call the integrate() function.
4. Unload the updated state from the integrator.
5. Return the value that was returned by the integrate() call.
Using the integration interface functions, `load_state()`, `load_deriv()`,
`integrate()`, and `unload_state()` requires that `integrator_c_intf.h` be
included. And of course the data structure(s) that define the model state will
also have to be included.
The value returned from `integrate()`, and stored in the `ipass` variable below,
tells the Trick integration scheduler the status of the state integration. It
returns the last integration step number until it is finished, when it returns 0.
For example, if the integrator is configured for Runge Kutta 4, a four step
integration algorithm, then `integrate()` will return 1 the first time it is
called, 2 the second time, 3 the third, and 0 the fourth time, indicating that
it is done.
## Configuring The Integration Scheduler
Producing simulation states by numerical integration requires that the derivative
and integration jobs be called at the appropriate rate and times. This requires
a properly configured integration scheduler.
First,an integration scheduler has to be instantiated in the S_define. Then, in
the input files
1. In the S_define file, define the integration with a declaration of the
following form:
```c++
IntegLoop integLoopName ( integrationTimeStep ) listOfSimObjectNames ;
```
* Jobs within a simObject that are tagged "derivative" or "integration" will be
dispatched to the associated integration scheduler.
In the input file, call the IntegLoop **getIntegrator()** method to specify
the integration algorithm of choice and the number of state variables to be
integrated.
*integLoopName*.getIntegrator( *algorithm*, *N* );
* *algorithm* is a enumeration value that indicates the numerical integration
algorithm to be used, such as: `trick.Euler`, `trick.Runge_Kutta_2`,
`trick.Runge_Kutta_4`. A complete list can be seen Integrator.hh, in
`${TRICK_HOME}/include/trick/Integrator.hh` .
* N is the number of state variables to be integrated.
## Updating the Cannonball Sim to use Numerical Integration
Rather than type everything again, we will first "tidy up" and then copy the
simulation. When trick-CP builds a simulation, it creates a makefile, that
directs the build process. The generated makefile also contains a procedure
("target" in Make parlance) called "spotless" for removing all of the
intermediate files that were produced during the build but that are not longer
needed.
So, to tidy up, execute the following:
```bash
% cd $HOME/trick_sims/SIM_cannon_analytic
% make spotless
```
And then copy the sim directory.
```bash
% cd ..
% cp -r SIM_cannon_analytic SIM_cannon_numeric
```
### Create **cannon_numeric.h.**
In this new simulation, we're going to create two new functions, 1)
`cannon_deriv()` [our derivative job], 2) `cannon_integ ()` [our integration job].
We'll put prototypes for each these functions into `cannon_numeric.h`. This new
header file which will replace `cannon_analytic.h`.
**Listing - `cannon_numeric.h `**
```c
/*************************************************************************
PURPOSE: ( Cannonball Numeric Model )
**************************************************************************/
#ifndef CANNON_NUMERIC_H
#define CANNON_NUMERIC_H
#include "cannon.h"
#ifdef __cplusplus
extern "C" {
#endif
int cannon_integ(CANNON*) ;
int cannon_deriv(CANNON*) ;
#ifdef __cplusplus
}
#endif
#endif
```
```bash
% cd SIM_cannon_numeric/models/cannon/include
% vi cannon_numeric.h
```
### Create **cannon_numeric.c.**
**Header and Includes for `cannon_numeric.c `**
```c
/*********************************************************************
PURPOSE: ( Trick numeric )
*********************************************************************/
#include
#include
#include "trick/integrator_c_intf.h"
#include "../include/cannon_numeric.h"
```
#### Creating a Derivative Class Job
In the case of the cannon ball sim, we are making numerous simplifications, like
assuming that the acceleration of gravity is constant (in real life, it is not)
and ignoring aerodynamic drag. This means that our cannon ball simulation is not
as accurate as it might be, but for our purposes here, which is to teach how to
use Trick, it should be fine.
**Listing - `cannon_deriv()`**
```c
int cannon_deriv(CANNON* C) {
if (!C->impact) {
C->acc[0] = 0.0 ;
C->acc[1] = -9.81 ;
} else {
C->acc[0] = 0.0 ;
C->acc[1] = 0.0 ;
}
return(0);
}
```
:point_right: **Add cannon\_deriv() to cannon\_numeric.c.**
#### Creating an Integration Class Job
For our cannon ball sim, our integration job needs to:
1. Load the cannon ball state ( pos[] and vel[] ) into the integrator.
2. Load the cannon ball state derivatives ( vel[] and acc[] )into the integrator.
3. Call the integrate() function.
4. Unload the updated state from the integrator into pos[] and vel[].
5. Return the value that was returned by the integrate() call.
**IMPORTANT**:
The functions `load_state()`, `load_deriv()`, and `unload_state()` take a
variable number of parameters. When calling these functions, the last parameter
**MUST ALWAYS BE NULL**. The NULL value marks the end of the parameter list.
Forgetting the final NULL will likely cause the simulation to crash and ... It
won't be pretty.
**Listing - `cannon_integ()`**
```c
int cannon_integ(CANNON* C) {
int ipass;
load_state(
&C->pos[0] ,
&C->pos[1] ,
&C->vel[0] ,
&C->vel[1] ,
NULL);
load_deriv(
&C->vel[0] ,
&C->vel[1] ,
&C->acc[0] ,
&C->acc[1] ,
NULL);
ipass = integrate();
unload_state(
&C->pos[0] ,
&C->pos[1] ,
&C->vel[0] ,
&C->vel[1] ,
NULL );
return(ipass);
}
```
:point_right: **Add cannon\_integ() to cannon\_numeric.c.**
## Updating the S_define File
Next, our S_define file needs to be updated.
### Update LIBRARY DEPENDENCIES
In the `LIBRARY_DEPENDENCY` section, replace:
`(cannon/src/cannon_analytic.c)`
with `(cannon/src/cannon_numeric.c)`.
### Update ##include Header File
Replace:
```c++
##include "cannon/include/cannon_analytic.h"
```
with:
```c++
##include "cannon/include/cannon_numeric.h"
```
### Update Scheduled Jobs
Replace:
```c++
(0.01, "scheduled") cannon_analytic( &cannon ) ;
```
with:
```c++
("derivative") cannon_deriv( &cannon) ;
("integration") trick_ret= cannon_integ( & cannon);
```
### Add Integration Scheduler and Integrator
To the bottom of the S_define file, add:
```c++
IntegLoop dyn_integloop (0.01) dyn ;
void create_connections() {
dyn_integloop.getIntegrator(Runge_Kutta_4, 4);
}
```
The first line here defines an integration scheduler called `dyn_integloop` that executes `derivative` and `integration` jobs in the *dyn* SimObject. The integration rate is specified in parentheses.
`create_connections` is a special function-like construct whose code is copied into S_source.cpp and is executed directly after SimObject instantiations. Common uses are to 1) instanciate integrators, and 2) connect data structures between SimObjects.
`dyn_integloop.getIntegrator` configures our integration scheduler. Its first argument specifies the integration algorithm to be used. In the case `Runge_Kutta_4`. The second argument is the number of variables that are to be integrated. There are four variables for this simulation (pos[0], pos[1], vel[0], vel[1]).
The updated S_define is:
**Listing - `S_define`**
```c++
/****************************************************************
PURPOSE: (S_define File for SIM_cannon_numeric.)
LIBRARY_DEPENDENCY: ((cannon/src/cannon_init.c)
(cannon/src/cannon_numeric.c)
(cannon/src/cannon_shutdown.c))
****************************************************************/
#include "sim_objects/default_trick_sys.sm"
##include "cannon/include/cannon_numeric.h"
class CannonSimObject : public Trick::SimObject {
public:
CANNON cannon ;
CannonSimObject() {
("initialization") cannon_init( &cannon ) ;
("default_data") cannon_default_data( &cannon ) ;
("derivative") cannon_deriv( &cannon) ;
("integration") trick_ret= cannon_integ( &cannon);
("shutdown") cannon_shutdown( &cannon);
}
};
CannonSimObject dyn ;
IntegLoop dyn_integloop (0.01) dyn ;
void create_connections() {
dyn_integloop.getIntegrator(Runge_Kutta_4, 4);
}
```
## Running The Cannonball With Trick Integration
There is nothing different about running with Trick integration. We just need to
build the simulation and run it.
```
% cd $HOME/trick_sims/SIM_cannon_numeric
% trick-CP
```
If the sim builds successfully, then run it.
```
% ./S_main*exe RUN_test/input.py &
```
Run the simulation to completion
## Numeric Versus Analytical
Let's compare the analytical "perfect" simulation with latest version using
Trick integration.
1. Start the trick data products: `% trick-dp &`.
There should be the two SIMs in the "Sims/Runs" pane of trick-dp:
1. `SIM_cannon_analytic`, and
2. `SIM_cannon_numeric`.
2. Double click `SIM_cannon_analytic->RUN_test`
This will move `SIM_cannon_analytic/RUN_test` to the selection box.
3. Double click `SIM_cannon_numeric->RUN_test`
Now the two RUNs we wish to compare will be present in the selection box.
4. Double click `SIM_cannon_analytic/DP_cannon_xy`
DP_cannon_xy will be moved into the selection box.
5. Click the Co-Plot button (collated white sheets icon) located on the
menu bar. Voila! The curves appear the same, but there is a slight difference.
Living with less than a billionth of a meter difference will not cause us to
lose sleep. However, we still dont like it! It is no fun being a sloppy
perfectionist!
Congratulations, you are now running a simulation with numerical integration.
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