Digital and Non-Linear Control

Root Locus
 Outline
• Introduction
• Angle and Magnitude Condition
• Construction of Root Loci
• 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
• Location of closed loop Pole for different values of K
(remember K>0). C ( s) K

R( s) s  1Pole-Zero
 K Map
K Pole 1

0.5 -1.5
1 -2 0.5
2 -3
Imaginary Axis

3 -4 0
5 -6
10 -11
-0.5
15 -16

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

 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 Pole
0.5 ?
1 ?
C (s) K 2 ?

R ( s ) s ( s  1)( s  10)( s  20)  K 3 ?
5 ?
10 ?
15 ?
 Construction of Root Loci
• 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.
 Construction of Root Loci
• The roots corresponding to a particular value of this
parameter can then be located on the resulting
graph.

• By using the root-locus method the designer can

predict the effects on the location of the closed-loop
poles of varying the gain value or adding open-loop
poles and/or open-loop zeros.
 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

• 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.
 Construction of root loci
• Step-1: The first step in constructing a root-locus plot
is to locate the open-loop poles and zeros in s-plane.
Pole-Zero Map
1

0.5

Imaginary Axis
0

K -0.5
G (s) H (s) 
s ( s  1)( s  2)
-1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2

The angle is  s  ( s  1)  ( s  2) Real Axis

 Construction of root loci
• Step-2: Determine the root loci on the real axis.
• To determine the root loci Pole-Zero Map
on real axis we select some 1

test points.
• e.g: p1 (on positive real 0.5

axis).
Imaginary Axis
p1
0

• The angle condition is not -0.5

satisfied.

-1
• Hence, there is no root -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis
locus on the positive real
axis.
 Construction of root loci
• Step-2: Determine the root loci on the real axis.
• Next, select a test point on the
negative real axis between 0 and 1
Pole-Zero Map

–1.
• Then
0.5

p2

Imaginary Axis
• Thus 0

-0.5
• The angle condition is satisfied.
Therefore, the portion of the
negative real axis between 0 and -1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
–1 forms a portion of the root Real Axis

locus.
 Construction of root loci
• Step-2: Determine the root loci on the real axis.
• Now, select a test point on the
negative real axis between -1 1
Pole-Zero Map

and –2.
• Then
0.5

p3

Imaginary Axis
• Thus 0

-0.5
• The angle condition is not
satisfied. Therefore, the negative
real axis between -1 and –2 is -1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
not a part of the root locus. Real Axis
 Construction of root loci
• Step-2: Determine the root loci on the real axis.

Pole-Zero Map
• Similarly, test point on the 1

negative real axis between -2

and – ∞ satisfies the angle 0.5
condition.
p4

Imaginary Axis
0
• Therefore, the negative real
axis between -2 and – ∞ is
part of the root locus. -0.5

-1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis
 Construction of root loci
• Step-2: Determine the root loci onMap
Pole-Zero the real axis.
1

0.5
Imaginary Axis

-0.5

-1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
 Construction of root loci
• Step-3: Determine the asymptotes of the root loci. That is, the
root loci when s is far away from origin.
Asymptote is the straight line approximation of a curve

Ψ Actual Curve
Asymptotic Approximation
𝜎
 Construction of root loci
• Step-3: Determine the asymptotes of the root loci.
180 (2k  1)
Angle of asymptotes  
n m
• where
• n-----> number of poles
• m-----> number of zeros

• For this Transfer Function K

G (s) H (s) 
s ( s  1)( s  2)

180 (2k  1)

3 0
 Construction of root loci
• Step-3: Determine the asymptotes of the root loci.
180 (2k  1)
 60 when k 0 
3 0
180 when k 1
300 when k 2
420 when k 3

• Since the angle repeats itself as k is varied, the distinct angles

for the asymptotes are determined as 60°, –60°, and 180°.
 Construction of root loci
• Step-3: Determine the asymptotes of the root loci.

• Before we can draw these asymptotes in the complex

plane, we need to find the point where they intersect the
real axis.

• Point of intersection of asymptotes on real axis (or

centroid of asymptotes) is

 poles   zeros

n m
 Construction of root loci
• Step-3: Determine the asymptotes of the root loci.

K
• For G (s) H (s) 
s ( s  1)( s  2)

(0  1  2)  0

3 0
3
   1
3
 Construction of root loci
• Step-3: Determine the asymptotes of the root loci.
Pole-Zero Map
1

0.5

 60 , 60 , 180

Imaginary Axis

180 60
0
  1   60

-0.5

-1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis
 Construction of root loci
• Step-4: Determine the breakaway/break-in point.
Pole-Zero Map
1
• The breakaway/break-in
point is the point from
which the root locus 0.5
branches leaves/arrives
real axis. Imaginary Axis

-0.5

-1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis
 Construction of root loci
• Step-4: Determine the breakaway point or break-in point.

• The breakaway or break-in points can be determined from the

roots of (page 275) dK
0
ds
• It should be noted that not all the solutions of dK/ds=0
correspond to actual breakaway points.

• If a point at which dK/ds=0 is on a root locus, it is an actual

breakaway or break-in point.
 Construction of root loci
• Step-4: Determine the breakaway point or break-in point.

• The characteristic equation of the system is

K
1  G ( s ) H ( s ) 1  0
s ( s  1)( s  2)

K
 1
s ( s  1)( s  2)

K  s ( s  1)( s  2)
• The breakaway point can now be determined as
dK d
 s( s  1)(s  2)
ds ds
 Construction of root loci
• Step-4: Determine the breakaway point or break-in point.
dK d
 s( s  1)(s  2)
ds ds
dK
ds

d 3
ds

s  3s 2  2 s 
dK
 3s 2  6 s  2
ds
• Set dK/ds=0 in order to determine breakaway point.
 3s 2  6 s  2 0
3s 2  6 s  2 0

s  0.4226
 1.5774
 Construction of root loci
• Step-4: Determine the breakaway point or break-in point.
s  0.4226 G (s) H (s) 
K
s ( s  1)( s  2)
 1.5774
• Since the breakaway point needs to be on a root locus
between 0 and –1, it is clear that s=–0.4226 corresponds to
the actual breakaway point.
• Point s=–1.5774 is not on the root locus. Hence, this point is
not an actual breakaway or break-in point.
 Construction of root loci
• Step-4: Determine the breakaway point.
Pole-Zero Map
1

0.5
Imaginary Axis

s  0.4226 180 60

0
  60

-0.5

-1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis
 Construction of root loci
• Step-4: Determine the breakawayPole-Zero
point.Map
1

0.5

s  0.4226
Imaginary Axis

-0.5

-1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis
 Construction of root loci
• Step-5: Determine the points where root loci cross the
imaginary axis.
Pole-Zero Map
1

0.5
Imaginary Axis

180 60
0
  60

-0.5

-1
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
 Construction of root loci
• Step-5: Determine the points where root loci cross the
imaginary axis.
• Let s=jω in the characteristic equation, equate both the real
part and the imaginary part to zero, and then solve for ω and
K.

• For present system the characteristic equation is

s 3  3s 2  2 s  K 0

( j ) 3  3( j ) 2  2 j  K 0

( K  3 2 )  j (2   3 ) 0
 Construction of root loci
• Step-5: Determine the points where root loci cross the
imaginary axis.
( K  3 2 )  j (2   3 ) 0
• Equating both real and imaginary parts of this equation
to zero
(2   3 ) 0

( K  3 2 ) 0
• Which yields
 Root Locus
5

1
Imaginary Axis

-1

-2

-3

-4

-5
-7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis
 Example
• Determine the Breakaway and breakin points
 Solution

K ( s 2  8s  15) ( s 2  3s  2)
 1 K  2
2
s  3s  2 ( s  8s  15)
• Differentiating K with respect to s and setting the derivative equal to zero yields;

dK [( s 2  8s  15)(2 s  3)  ( s 2  3s  2)(2 s  8)]

 2 2
0
ds ( s  8s  15)
11s 2  26s  61 0
Hence, solving for s, we find the
break-away and break-in points s = -1.45 and 3.82

s  1.45, ( s  3)  ( s  5)  ( s  1)  ( s  2)  180  180  180  0  540

s 3.82, ( s  3)  ( s  5)  ( s  1)  ( s  2) 0  180  0  0  180
 Solution

-1.45 3.82
 Root Loci by MATLAB
• Example 6-4 in page 293