Physical, safety or technological constraints induce that the control actuators can neither provide unlimited amplitude signals nor unlimited speed of reaction. The control problems of combat aircraft prototypes and satellite launchers offer interesting examples of the difficulties due to these major constraints.

Neglecting actuator saturations on both amplitude and dynamics can be source of undesirable or even catastrophic behavior for the closed-loop system (such as loosing closed-loop stability).

Such actuator saturations have also been blamed as one of several unfortunate...