In this work, we propose a methodology for the expression of necessary and sufficient Lyapunov-like conditions for the existence of stabilizing feedback laws. The methodology is an extension of the well-known Control Lyapunov Function (CLF) method and can be applied to very general nonlinear time-varying systems with disturbance and control inputs, including both finite and infinite-dimensional systems. The generality of the proposed methodology is also reflected upon by the fact that partial stability with respect to output variables is addressed. In addition, it is shown that the generalized CLF method can lead to a novel tool for the explicit design of robust nonlinear controllers for a class of time-delay nonlinear systems with a triangular structure.

For a general time-varying system, we prove that existence of an “Output Robust Control Lyapunov Function” implies existence of continuous time-varying feedback stabilizer, which guarantees output asymptotic stability with respect to the resulting closed-loop system. The main results of the present work constitute generalizations of a well known result due to Coron and Rosier [J. Math. Syst. Estim. Control4 (1994) 67–84] concerning stabilization of autonomous systems by means of time-varying periodic feedback.

The receding horizon control strategy fordynamical systems posed in infinite dimensional spaces is analysed. Itsstabilising property is verified provided controlLyapunov functionals are used as terminal penalty functions.For closed loop dissipative systems the terminal penalty canbe chosen as quadratic functional. Applications to the Navier–Stokesequations, semilinear wave equations and reaction diffusion systems are given.

This paper presents a method to design explicit control Lyapunov functions for affine and homogeneous systems that satisfy the so-called “Jurdjevic-Quinn conditions”. For these systems a positive definite function V0 is known that can only be made non increasing by feedback. We describe how a control Lyapunov function can be obtained via a deformation of this “weak” Lyapunov function. Some examples are presented, and the linear quadratic situation is treated as an illustration.