Linear Control Systems (EE-3052)

Lecture-12
Introduction to Root Locus
Dr. Imtiaz Hussain
Associate Professor (Control Systems),
Department of Electrical Engineering
DHA Suffa University, Karachi, Pakistan
email: [email protected]

5th Semester (BE-EE-5A)

Fall 2020

Note: I do not claim any originality in these lectures. The contents of this presentation are
mostly taken from the book of Ogata, Norman S Nise and various other internet sources. 1
 Outline
• Introduction
• Angle and Magnitude Condition
• Examples
 Introduction
• Consider a unity feedback control system shown
below.
K
R (s ) C (s )
s 1

• The open loop transfer function G(s) of the system

is G( s)  K
s 1
• And the closed transfer function is
C ( s) G( s) K
 
R( s) 1  G ( s) s  1  K
 Introduction
• The open loop stability does not depend upon gain
K. K
G( s) 
s 1

• Whereas, the location of closed loop poles vary

with the variation in gain.

C ( s) K

R( s) s  1  K
 Introduction
• Location of closed loop Pole for different values of K
(remember K>0). C ( s) K

R( s) s 1 K
K Pole
Pole-Zero Map
0.5 -1.5 1

1 -2
2 -3 0.5

3 -4
Imaginary Axis

5 -6 0 K 0
10 -11 K 
-0.5
15 -16

-16 -14 -12 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2

Real Axis
 What is Root Locus?
• The root locus is the path of the roots of the
characteristic equation traced out in the s-plane
as a system parameter varies from zero to infinity.
 How to Sketch root locus?
• One way is to compute the roots of the
characteristic equation for all possible values
of K.
K Pole
0.5 -1.5
1 -2
C (s) K 2 -3

R( s) s  1  K 3 -4
5 -6
10 -11
15 -16
 How to Sketch root locus?
• Computing the roots for all values of K might
be tedious for higher order systems.
K Poles
0.5 ? ? ?
1 ? ? ?
C (s) K 2 ? ? ?

R( s ) s ( s  1)(s  10)( s  20)  K 3 ? ? ?
5 ? ? ?
10 ? ? ?
15 ? ? ?
 Root Locus Method
• Finding the roots of the characteristic equation of degree
higher than 3 is laborious and will need computer solution.

• A simple method for finding the roots of the characteristic

equation has been developed by W. R. Evans and used
extensively in control engineering.

• This method, called the root-locus method, is one in which

the roots of the characteristic equation are plotted for all
values of a system parameter.
 Root Locus Method
• Root locus is a powerful method of analysis and design for stability
and transient response.
• Root Locus can be used to describe qualitatively the performance
of a system as various parameters are changed.
• For instance, the effect of varying gain upon percent overshoot or
peak time can be displayed.
• It also gives a graphical representation of a system’s stability,
ranges of stability, ranges of instability, and the conditions causing
a system to break into oscillation.
• The root- locus method provides the engineer with a measure of the
sensitivity of the roots of the system to a variation in the parameter
being considered.
10
 Angle & Magnitude Conditions
• In constructing the root loci angle and magnitude
conditions are important.
• Consider the system shown in following figure.

• The closed loop transfer function is

C (s) G (s)

R(s) 1  G (s) H (s)
 Construction of Root Loci
• The characteristic equation is obtained by setting the
denominator polynomial equal to zero.
1  G ( s) H ( s)  0
• Or
G ( s ) H ( s )  1

• Where G(s)H(s) is a ratio of polynomial in s.

• Since G(s)H(s) is a complex quantity it can be split

into angle and magnitude part.
 Angle & Magnitude Conditions
• The angle of G(s)H(s)=-1 is

G ( s ) H ( s )    1
G ( s ) H ( s )  180 (2k  1)

• Where k=1,2,3…

• The magnitude of G(s)H(s)=-1 is

G(s) H (s)   1
G(s) H (s)  1
 Angle & Magnitude Conditions
• Angle Condition
G ( s ) H ( s)  180 (2k  1) (k  1,2,3...)
• Magnitude Condition
G (s) H (s)  1
• The values of s that fulfill both the angle and
magnitude conditions are the roots of the
characteristic equation, or the closed-loop poles.

• A locus of the points in the complex plane satisfying

the angle condition alone is the root locus.
Angle and Magnitude Conditions (Graphically)
• To apply Angle and magnitude conditions graphically we
must first draw the poles and zeros of G(s)H(s) in s-plane.

• For example if G(s)H(s) is given by

Pole-Zero Map
1

s 1
G ( s) H ( s)  0.5

s ( s  3)( s  4)
Imaginary Axis
0

-0.5

-1
-4 -3.5 -3 -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0
Real Axis
Angle and Magnitude Conditions (Graphically)

Pole-Zero
p Map
1

0.5

θ3
Imaginary Axis

θ1 θ2 ɸ1
0

G ( s ) H ( s ) s  p  1  1   2   3
-0.5
• If angle of G(s)H(s) at s=p is equal to ±180o(2k+1) the
point p is on root locus.
-1
-4 -3.5 -3 -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0
Real Axis
Angle and Magnitude Conditions graphically

Pole-Zero
p Map
1

0.5
A B1
B3 B2
Imaginary Axis

s  1 s p A
G(s) H (s) s  p 
-0.5 
s s p s  3 s p s  4 s p B1 B2 B3

-1
-4 -3.5 -3 -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0
Real Axis
 Example#1
• Apply angle and magnitude conditions
(Analytically as well as graphically) on following
unity feedback system at s=-0.25.
 Example#1
K
• Here G (s) H (s) 
s ( s  1)( s  2)

• For the given system the angle condition becomes

K
G ( s ) H ( s )  
s ( s  1)( s  2)

G ( s ) H ( s )  K  s  ( s  1)  ( s  2)

K  s  ( s  1)  ( s  2)  180(2k  1)
 Example#1
G ( s ) H ( s ) s  0.25   K s  0.25
 s s  0.25  ( s  1) s  0.25  ( s  2) s  0.25

G ( s ) H ( s ) s  0.25  (0.25)  (0.75)  (1.75)

G ( s) H ( s ) s  0.25  180  0  0

G ( s ) H ( s ) s  0.25  180(2k  1)
 Example#1
K
• Here G (s) H (s) 
s ( s  1)( s  2)

• And the Magnitude condition becomes

K
G ( s) H ( s)  1
s ( s  1)( s  2)
 Example#1
• Now we know from angle condition that the point s=-
0.25 is on the rot locus. But we do not know the value of
gain K at that specific point.

• We can use magnitude condition to determine the value

of gain at any point on the root locus.
K
1
s ( s  1)( s  2) s  0.25

K
1
(0.25)(0.25  1)(0.25  2) s  0.25
 Example#1
K
1
(0.25)(0.25  1)(0.25  2) s  0.25

K
1
(0.25)(0.75)(1.75)

K
1
 0.3285

K
1
0.328
K  0.328
 Example#2
• Home work:

– Check whether following point are on the root

locus or not (Graphically as well as analytically) ?
If yes determine the value of gain K.

1. s=-0.2+j0.937
2. s=-1+j2
To download this lecture visit
http://imtiazhussainkalwar.weebly.com/

END OF LECTURE-12