Typical Test Signals

In analyzing and designing control systems a

designer must have some basis of comparison of
performance of various control systems.

The basis may be set up by specifying particular test

input signal and by comparing the responses of
various system to these input signals.

The use of such test signal provides a correlation

between the response characteristics of the system
to typical test input signals.
 Typical Test Signals
The commonly used test input signals are:
1. unit step functions,
2. ramp functions
3. impulse functions
The scope of our discussion is step input signals.
 Typical Test Signals
The commonly used test input signals are:
1. unit step functions,
2. ramp functions
3. impulse functions
The scope of our discussion is step input signals.
 Unit step response
Unit step response is the time behaviour of the outputs of a
general system when its inputs change from zero to one in a
period of time as shown in figure.
Unit step response
Unit step response
Unit step response
 Transient Response and Steady-State Response.
The time response of a control system consists of two parts:
1. transient response and
2. steady-state response.

1. transient response, Ctr(t): A response which goes from the initial state to the final state.

2. steady-state response Css(t):

A response in which the system output behaves as t approaches infinity.

Thus the system response c(t) may be written as

C(t) =Ctr(t)+Css(t)

Output

Time
transient Steady state
 FIRST-ORDER SYSTEMS
Consider the first-order system given as
𝐶(𝑠) 1
= ⋯ ⋯ (1)
𝑅(𝑠) 𝑇𝑠 + 1

Physically, this system may represent an RC circuit,thermal system, or the like.

vR R
𝐼(𝑠) 𝐶
=
𝑉(𝑠) 𝑅𝐶𝑠 + 1
+ vc
v(t) - C
i(t)
 FIRST-ORDER SYSTEMS
𝐶(𝑠) 1
= ⋯ ⋯ (1)
𝑅(𝑠) 𝑇𝑠 + 1

Physically, this system may represent an RC circuit,thermal system, or the like.

k
x

F
M
𝑋(𝑠) 1
=
𝐹(𝑠) 𝑀𝑠 2 + 𝑘
 FIRST-ORDER SYSTEMS
A simplified block diagram is shown in Figure 1.

The input-output relationship is given by (1)

Physical Model
𝐶(𝑠) 1 𝐶
=
𝑅(𝑠) 𝑇𝑠 + 1
⋯ ⋯ (1) 𝐼(𝑠) = 𝑅𝐶𝑠+1 𝑉(𝑠)

1
𝐶(𝑠) = 𝑇 +1 𝑅(𝑠) ⋯ ⋯ (2) T=time constant
𝑠

In the following, we shall analyze the system responses to such

inputs as the unit-step, functions. The initial conditions are assumed
to be zero.
 Unit-Step Response of First-Order Systems
Since the Laplace transform of the unit-step function is 1/s.
substituting R(s)=1/s into Equation (2), we obtain
1 1 1
𝐶(𝑠) = 𝑅(𝑠) ⋯ ⋯ (2) 𝐶 𝑠 = .
𝑇𝑠 + 1 𝑇𝑠 + 1 𝑠

Expanding C(s) into partial fractions gives(3)

1 𝑇 1 𝑇
𝐶(𝑠) = − = − ⋯ ⋯ (3)
𝑠 𝑇𝑠 + 1 𝑠 𝑠 + (1ൗ )
𝑇

Applying the inverse Laplace yields as

𝑡
𝑐(𝑡) = 1 − 𝑒 − ൗ𝑇 𝑓𝑜𝑡 𝑡 ≥ 0 ⋯ ⋯ (4)
 Unit-Step Response of First-Order Systems
Equation (4) states that initially the output c(t) is zero and finally it becomes
unity.
𝑡
𝑐 𝑡 = 1 − 𝑒 − ൗ𝑇 𝑓𝑜𝑡 𝑡=0

C(t)=0

𝑡
𝑐 𝑡 = 1 − 𝑒 − ൗ𝑇 𝑓𝑜𝑡 𝑡 = 𝑇 = 𝑅𝐶

C(t)=1-e-1=0.6321/sec

c(t) = 0.632, or the response c(t) has reached 63.2% of its total
change.
 Unit-Step Response of First-Order Systems
• The smaller the time constant T, the faster the system response.
• The exponential response curve is that the slope of the tangent
line at t=0 is 1/T, since (eq: 5)

(eq: 5)
 Unit-Step Response of First-Order Systems
The output would reach the final value at t=T if it maintained
its initial speed of response.
From Equation (5) we see that the slope of the response
curve c(t)decreases monotonically from 1/T at t=0 to zero at
t=∞.
 Unit-Step Response of First-Order Systems
The exponential response curve c(t) given by Equation (4) is shown in
Figure.
In one time constant, the exponential response curve has gone from 0 to
63.2%of the final value.
In two time constants, the response reaches 86.5%of the final value.
At t=3T, 4T, and 5T, the response reaches 95%, 98.2%, and 99.3%,
respectively, of the final value.
 SECOND-ORDER SYSTEMS
In this lecture, we shall obtain the response of a
typical second-order control system to a step
input.

We consider a servo system as an example

of a second-order system.
 Unit-Step Response of Second-Order Systems
Consider the following system
TD
TS
TM
J T

The Differential Equation of the system is:

𝑑2𝜃 𝑑𝜃
𝑇 =𝐽 2 +𝐵 + 𝑘𝜃
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
Taking the Laplace Transform of both sides

T(𝑠) = 𝐽𝑠 2 𝜃(𝑠) + 𝐵𝑠𝜃(𝑠) + 𝑘𝜃(𝑠)

Therefore, the transfer function is

𝜃(𝑠) 1
=
𝑇(𝑠) 𝐽𝑠 2 + 𝐵𝑠 + 𝑘
18
 Unit-Step Response of Second-Order Systems

𝜃(𝑠) 1 𝑘/𝑗
= 2 =
𝑇(𝑠) 𝐽𝑠 + 𝐵𝑠 + 𝑘 𝑠 2 + (𝐵/𝐽)𝑠 + (𝑘) If
𝐽

𝜃(𝑠) ω2n B/𝑗 =2ζωn=2σ

= 2 …….. (5)
𝑇(𝑠) 𝐽𝑠 +2ζωn𝑠+ω2n
𝑘/𝑗 =ω2n

• This form is called the standard form of the second-order system.

Where
σ = attenuation;
ωn = undamped natural frequency;
ζ = the damping ratio of the system.

The damping ratio ζ is the ratio of the actual damping B to the critical damping
 Second-Order System
The dynamic behavior of the second-order system can then be described in terms of two parameters ζ and ωn.

If 0< ζ <1,
the closed-loop poles are complex conjugates and lie in the left-half s plane.
The system is then called underdamped, and the transient response is oscillatory.

If ζ =0,
the transient response does not die out.

If ζ =1,
the system is called critically damped.

Overdamped systems correspond to ζ >1.

We shall now solve for the response of the system shown in Figure 5–6 to a unit-step input.

We shall consider three different cases:

the underdamped (0< ζ <1),
critically damped (ζ =1), and
overdamped (ζ >1) cases.
 Critically damped case (ζ =1)
𝜃(𝑠) ω2n
= 2
𝑇(𝑠) 𝑠 + 2ζωn𝑠 + ω2n

For Critically damped case (ζ =1)

𝜃(𝑠) ω2n
= 2
𝑇(𝑠) 𝑠 + 2ωn𝑠 + ω2n

ω2n
𝜃(𝑠) = T(s)
𝑠+ωn 2

For a unit-step input, T(s)=1/s and θ(s) can be written

ω2n
𝜃(𝑠) = .1/s
𝑠+ωn 2
 Critically damped case (ζ =1)

ω2n
𝜃(𝑠) = .1/s
𝑠+ωn 2

The inverse Laplace transform of Equation (5–14) may be found as

𝜃 𝑡 = 1 − 𝑒− ωnt(1 + ωnt) 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡 ≥ 0

 Family of unit-step response (for ζ =0 to 2)
A family of unit-step response curves c(t) with various values of ζ is shown in
Figure 1, where the abscissa is the dimensionless variable ωnt.

The curves are functions only of ζ.

The system described by the

equations was initially at rest.

Note that two second-order

systems having the same ζ but
different ωn will exhibit the same
overshoot and the same
oscillatory pattern.

Such systems are said to have the

same relative stability.
 Critically damped case (ζ =1)
From Figure 1, we see that an underdamped system with between 0.5 and 0.8 gets
close to the final value more rapidly than a critically damped or overdamped system.

Among the systems responding without oscillation, a critically damped system exhibits the
fastest response.

An overdamped system is always

sluggish in responding to any inputs.

It is important to note that, for

second-order systems whose closed-
loop Transfer functions are different
from that given by Equation (5),
the step-response curves may look
quite different from those shown in
Figure 1.
 Definitions of Transient-Response Specifications
The transient response of a practical control system often
exhibits damped oscillations before reaching steady state.

In specifying the transient-response characteristics of

a control system to a unit-step input, it is common to specify
the following:

• 1. Delay time, td
• 2. Rise time, tr
• 3. Peak time, tp
• 4. Maximum overshoot,Mp
• 5. Settling time, ts
 Definitions of Transient-Response Specifications
These specifications are defined in what follows and are shown
graphically in Figure.

1. Delay time, td:

The delay time is the time required for the response to reach half the final
value the very first time.
 Definitions of Transient-Response Specifications
These specifications are defined in what follows and are shown graphically in Figure.

2. Rise time, tr :
The rise time is the time required for the response to rise from 10% to 90%, 5%
to 95%, or 0% to 100% of its final value.

For underdamped second order systems, the 0% to 100%rise time is

normally used.
For overdamped systems, the10% to 90% rise time is commonly used.
 Definitions of Transient-Response Specifications
These specifications are defined in what follows and are shown
graphically in Figure.

3. Peak time, tp:

The peak time is the time required for the response to reach the first peak
of the overshoot.
 Definitions of Transient-Response Specifications
4. Maximum (percent) overshoot, Mp:
The maximum overshoot is the Maximum peak value of the response curve measured from unity.

If the final steady-state value of the response differs from unity, then it is common to use the maximum
percent overshoot. It is defined by

The amount of the maximum (percent) overshoot directly indicates the relative
stability of the system.
 Definitions of Transient-Response Specifications
5. Settling time, ts :
The settling time is the time required for the response curve to reach
and stay within a range about the final value of size specified by
absolute percentage of the final value (usually 2% or 5%).

The settling time is related to

the largest time constant of
the control system.

Which percentage error

criterion to use may be
determined from the
objectives of the system
design in question.
 Definitions of Transient-Response Specifications
The time-domain specifications just given are quite important, since most
control systems are time-domain systems; that is, they must exhibit
acceptable time responses.

(This means that, the control system must be modified until the transient response is
satisfactory.)