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Chapter V
STABILITY OF CONTROL SYSTEMS

5. 1 Introduction
Stability is the most important performance requirement of a
control system. The transient response of a linear feedback
control system is governed by the location of the roots of
the characteristic equation. We may summarize it as:
i) When all the roots of the characteristic equation are found
in the left half of the s-plane, the system responses due to
the initial conditions will decrease to zero as time
approaches infinity.

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ii) If one or more pairs of simple roots are located on the

imaginary axis of the s-plane, but there are no roots in the
right half s-plane, the responses due to initial conditions
will be undamped sinusoidal oscillations.

iii) If one or more roots are found in the right half s-plane, the
response will increase in magnitude as time increases.

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Absolute stability refers to the condition of stable or unstable.

Once the system is found to be stable, it is of interest to
determine how stable it is, and the degree of stability is
measured by relative stability. Parameters such as
overshoot and damping ratio provide indications of the
relative stability of a linear time-invariant system in the
time domain.
5.2 Stable and Unstable Systems

Our study here is concentrated in

determining whether a given system is stable
or unstable. Some techniques are based on
determining the roots of the system
characteristic equation explicitly to know
their location in the s-plane.
Others are developed to study the stability of a
system without the need of actually
determining the roots of its characteristic
equation. Most of these answer the question,
whether a system be stable or not in "yes" or
"no" form.
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5.3 Necessary Conditions for Stability

1- Characteristic equation must be in polynomial form as:
Q(s)=aosn +a sn-1+...+a s+an =0 …………...................(5.1)
1 n-1
2- None of the coefficients should be zero .
3- All the coefficients of characteristic equation, Eq.(5.1),
must be real and have the same sign.
If some of the coefficients are zero or negative, it can be
concluded that the system is not stable.
On the other hand, if the coefficients of the
characteristic equation are positive (or all negative), the
possibility of stability of the system exists and one should
proceed further to examine the sufficient conditions of
stability; i.e. if all the roots are in the left half of the s-
plane.
Two separate methods will be discussed here to analyze
stability of control systems without computing the roots
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of the system characteristic equation explicitly.
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5.4 Hurwitz Stability Criterion

The necessary conditions must be first satisfied. Then the
following determinant should be formed if:
Q(s)=aosn +a sn-1+...+a s+an =0 then
1 n-1

…….......(5.2)

Where the coefficients with indices larger than n or with

negative indices are replaced by zeros. The necessary and
sufficient conditions for stability are:

, and Dn =an*Dn-1>0 ……..(5.3)

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Example
Apply Hurwitz condition to test the stability of a fourth-order
system whose characteristic equation is given by:
s4 + 8s3+ 18s2+ 16s + 5 = 0
Solution:
The 3 necessary conditions are satisfied, then write the
determinants: a0=1, a1=8, a2=18, a3=16, and a4=5

Since all the determinants are positive, then the system is

stable.
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5-5 Routh Stability Criterion

a1 *a2 -a0 *a3 a *a -a *a

where, b1 = a1 and b2 = 1 4a 0 5
b *a -a *b b *a -a1 *b
where, c1 = 1 3 1 2 and c2 = 1 5 1 3
b1 b1

.................................................................(5.4)
The Routh stability criterion is stated as:
"For a system to be stable, it is necessary and sufficient that
all terms of first column of Routh array, Eq.(5.4), have same
sign”.
If this condition is not met, the system is unstable and the
number of sign changes of the terms in the first column
corresponds to the number of roots of the characteristic
equation
10 on the right half of the s-plane.
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Example
Apply Routh criterion to test the stability of a fourth-order
system whose characteristic equation is given by:
s4 + 8s3+ 18s2+ 16s + 5 = 0
Solution:
The 3 necessary conditions are satisfied, then we have:
a0=1, a1=8, a2=18, a3=16, and a4=5, construct the table as:
1 18 5
8 16 0

Since all the elements of the first column of the Routh array
are positive, then the system is stable.
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Example
Using Routh stability criterion examine the stability of a
system whose characteristic equation is given by:
3s4 + 10s3+ 5s2+ 5s + 2 = 0
Solution:
The 3 necessary conditions are satisfied, then we have:
a0=3, a1=10, a2=5, a3=5, and a4=2, construct the table as:
s4 3 5 2

s3 10 ÷5=2 5 ÷5=1 0

s2 =3.5 =2

s1

s0 2
It can be easily seen that the sign has been changed twice.
Therefore, the system is unstable with two poles in the
right
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half of the s-plane.

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Special Cases:
1st. Difficulty:
The first element in any row of the Routh tabulation is zero,
but the other elements in the same row are not zeros. The
elements in the next row will all become infinite, and the
Routh test breaks down. This situation may be overcome
by one of the following methods:
(a) Substitute a small positive number, , for the zero and
proceed to evaluate the rest of the Routh tabulation.
(b) Modify the original characteristic equation by replacing s
by 1/z, and then apply the Routh's test on the modified
equation in terms of z. The number of z-roots with
positive real parts are the same as the number of s-roots
with positive real parts.
(c) Multiply the equation by the factor "s + a" where a is any
number, preferably positive, then carry on the usual
tabulation.
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Example
Using Routh stability criterion examine the stability of a
system whose characteristic equation is given by:

Solution:
The 3 necessary conditions are satisfied, then we have: a0=1,
a1=1, a2=2, a3=2, a4=3, and a5=5 construct the table as:

(a) Replace this zero, in the first column, by ε>0, then continue
as usual.

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1 2 3
1 2 5
ε -2 0

=-2 0

Examining the elements of the first column of the Routh array

shows that there are two changes in sign and hence the
system is unstable having two poles in the right half of the
s-plane.
(b) Alternatively, consider the second method; replace s by
1/z in the original characteristic equation and rearranging
to obtain: 5z5 +3z4 + 2z3 + 2z2 +z + 1 = 0, then carry on the
test in the usual manner:
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5 2 1
3 2 1

1
2 1
2 0
1

The same conclusion is obtained: those two poles are in the

right half of the z-plane and consequently there are two
poles in the right half of the s-plane showing instability of
the system.
(c) Also the third method may be applied instead by
multiplying both sides of the characteristic equation by the
factor (s + 1) and rearranging, the new equation is:

s6+ 2s5 + 3s4 + 4s3 + 5s2 + 8s + 5 = 0

The Routh tabulation can be constructed as:
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1 3 5 5
2 4 8 0
1 1 5
2 -2 0
2 5
-7 0
5

Since there are two changes in sign in the first column of the
Routh array, then the equation has two roots in the right
half of the s-plane and hence the system is unstable.
2nd. Difficulty:
When all elements of one row of Routh array are zeros, it
indicates that one or more of the following conditions
may exist:
(i) Pairs of real roots with opposite signs,
(ii) Pairs of imaginary roots,
(iii) Pairs of complex-conjugate roots forming
17 symmetry about the origin of the s-plane.
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Now, the polynomial whose coefficients are the elements of

the row just above the row of zeros in Routh array is called
an auxiliary polynomial.

The order of this auxiliary equation is always even, and it

indicates the number of root-pairs that are equal in
magnitude and opposite in sign.

All these roots of equal magnitude can be obtained by

solving the auxiliary equation.

Taking the first derivative of the auxiliary polynomial, zeros

are to be replaced by coefficients of the produced
polynomial will overcome the difficulty.

The following example illustrates the procedure.

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Example
Using Routh stability criterion examine the stability of a
system whose characteristic equation is given by:
s6+ 2s5 + 8s4 + 12s3 + 20s2 + 16s + 16 = 0
Solution:
The 3 necessary conditions are satisfied, then we have: a0=1,
a1=2, a2=8, a3=12, a4=20, a5=16, and a6=16. Construct the
table as:
1 8 20 16
2 12 16 0 dividing all elements by 2, yields:
1 6 8 0
2 12 16 dividing all elements again by 2, yields:
1 6 8
0 0 0
Since all the elements of s3-row are zeros, the Routh's test
19 breaks down.

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Now the auxiliary polynomial is formed from the coefficients

of the s4-row, which is given by: f(s) = s4 + 6s2 + 8
taking the first derivative of this polynomial; yields:

All the zeros in s3-row should be replaced by the coefficients

4 and 12 as follows:

4 12 dividing all elements by 4; yields:

1 3

6-3= 3 8
1/3 0
8
Inspecting the first column of the new array shows that there
is no change of sign. Solving the auxiliary polynomial
leads to the following roots:
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These two pairs of roots are also the roots of the original
characteristic equation. Since there is no root, of the
characteristic equation of the system, has positive real
part, therefore, the system is limitedly stable.
5.5.1 Application of the Routh Stability
Criterion to design linear feedback control
systems:
Designing linear feedback control systems.

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The closed-loop transfer function is: C(s) = K

R(s) s(s2 +s+1)(s+4)+K
and hence the characteristic equation is:
s(s2 + s + 1)(s + 4) + K = 0
or s 4 + 5 s 3 + 5 s2 + 4 s + K = 0
The Routh criterion may be used to determine the range
of K for which the closed-loop system is stable as
follows:
1 5 K
5 4 0
21 K
5
( 84 -5K)
5 0
21
5
K

For the elements of first column to be +ve for stable system

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Therefore, for stability, K should lie in the range:

5. 5.2 Relative stability analysis:

The characteristic equation of the system is modified by
shifting the origin of the s-plane to s = - a; (a>0), i. e. by the
substitution: s = z – a; as illustrated in the figure below:
If the new characteristic equation in
z-plane satisfies the Routh criterion,
it implies that all the roots of the
original characteristic equation are
more negative than -a.

Example:
For the characteristic equation:
s3 + 7 s2 + 25 s + 39 = 0; if we check for system to be more
stable
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than -1; shift the origin to s = -1 by substituting s=z-1

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We have: z3 + 4 z2 + 14 z + 20 = 0. Construct the table:

1 14 As the sign of all the elements of the first
4 20 column of the Routh array are positive,
9 0
20
the roots of the characteristic equation
in z lie in the left half of the z-plane.
Hence, all the roots of the original characteristic equation in
s lie to the left of the line s = -1 in the s-plane.

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Nyquist stability criterion

For a control system, if (-1, j0) point is not enclosed by the
Nyquist plot of the open-loop transfer function, G(s)H(s),
then it is stable by itself, and the zeros of 1 + G(s)H(s) are
all in the left half of the s-plane. Hence, the closed-loop of
original system is stable.
Example:
Using Nyquist Criterion,
examine the stability
of the shown system.

Solution

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Consider the inner loop, whose open-loop transfer function is

G2(s)H(s), and sketch the Nyquist locus (polar plot) for.
0≤ω< ∞.

Since, in Figure, (-1, j0) is not enclosed

by the Nyquist plot of G2(s)H(s), the
inner loop is stable by itself, and the
zeros of 1 + G2(s)H(s) are all in the
left half of the s-plane (i.e. stable).

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5.7 Relative Stability Indications

In general, we are interested in not only systems that are
stable, but also in systems that have certain degree of
stability which is often termed relative stability.

We may use Mr to indicate the relative stability of a feedback

control system.

The Nyquist plot of the open-loop transfer function, G(s)H(s),

is also used by inspecting the closeness of the g(jw)h(jw)
plot in the polar coordinates to the (-1,j0).

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Here the Nyquist plot intersects the (-1,j0) point, and the
system is marginally unstable with constant-amplitude
oscillation, and Mr becomes infinite.

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Further increase in K, the Nyquist plot will enclose the (-1,j0)

point, and the system is unstable with unbounded response,
as shown in previous Figure. In this case the magnitude curve
M(w) ceases to ‫ ينقطع عن‬have any significance, and the only
symptom of instability from the closed-loop frequency
response is that the phase curve now has a positive slope at
the resonant frequency.
5.7.1 Gain Margin
The gain margin is a measure of the
closeness of the phase-crossover
point to the (-1,j0) point in the
G(s)H(s)-plane. It is defined as:
"the amount of gain in decibels that
can be allowed to increase in the
loop before the closed-loop system
reaches instability".
1
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Gain Margin=20 log G(jωc )H(jωc )

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When the g(jw)H(jw) plot does not intersect the negative real
axis at any finite nonzero frequency, the gain margin is
infinite in decibels; this means that, theoretically, the value
of the loop gain can be increased to infinity before
instability occurs.
N.B. Once the stability or instability condition is ascertained,
the magnitude of the gain margin simply denotes the margin
of stability, and the sign of the gain margin becomes
insignificant.
5.7.2 Phase Margin
Unfortunately, gain margin alone
does not sufficiently indicate the
relative stability of all systems.

For example, the two systems

represented by the G(jw)H(jw), in
Figure, apparently have same gain.
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However, locus A actually corresponds to a more stable

than locus B. The reason behind that is the change in a
system parameter (or parameters) other than the loop gain. It
is easier for locus B to pass through or even enclose the
(-1,j0) point. Furthermore, system B has much larger Mr than
system A.
We define the phase margin as; "the angle in degrees
through which the G(jw)H(jw) plot must be rotated about the
origin in order that the gain-crossover point on the locus
(where M=1) passes through the
(-1,j0) point".
It can be analytically computed by
first calculating the phase of
G(jw)H(jw) at the gain-crossover
frequency, and then subtracting (-
180º)from this phase; that is,
Phase margin =
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5.7.3 Graphic Methods of Computing Gain

Margin and Phase Margin:

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Also we can draw Phase-Magnitude to compute the Gain- and

Phase margin as follows:
40
Gain-crossover
frequency
20 1
Phase
Margin 5
0
7
Gain Margin 10

-20 16
20log Magnitude

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phase-crossover
40 frequency
-40 60

100
-60
200
-80 300

500
-100
1000
-120
-260 -240 -220 -200 -180 -160 -140 -120 -100
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phase in degrees

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