Physics-Model-Regulated Deep Reinforcement Learning Towards Safety & Stability Guarantees

Hongpeng Cao, Yanbing Mao, Lui Sha, Marco Caccamo

Abstract: Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has demonstrated impressive success in solving complex control tasks by synthesizing control policies from data. However, the safety and stability of applying DRL to safety-critical systems remain a primary concern and challenging problem. To address the problem, we propose the Phy-DRL: a novel physics-model-regulated deep reinforcement learning framework. The Phy-DRL is novel in two architectural designs: a physics-model-regulated reward and residual control, which integrates physics-model-based control and data-driven control. The concurrent designs enable the Phy-DRL the mathematically provable safety and stability guarantees. Finally, the effectiveness of the Phy-DRL is validated by an inverted pendulum system. Additionally, the experimental results demonstrate that the Phy-DRL features remarkably accelerated training and enlarged reward.