Root-locus Technique for Control

Design
 INTRODUCTION

Stability and the

characteristics of Locations of the closed-
transient response of loop poles
closed-loop systems

Problems to solve characteristic equation :

1. Difficult for a system of third or higher order.
2. Tedious for varying parameters.

2
 VARYING THE LOOP GAIN K

R(s) Y(s) The open loop gain K is

K G (s) an important parameter
－ that can affect the
performance of a system
H(s)

In many systems, simple gain adjustment may move the closed-

loop poles to desired locations.
Then the design problem may become the selection of an
appropriate gain value.
It is important to know how the closed-loop poles move in the s
plane as the loop gain K is varied.

3
Root Locus:
the locus of roots of the characteristic equation of
the closed-loop system as a specific parameter (usually,
gain K) is varied form 0 to ∞.
The advantages of RL approach:
1. Avoiding tedious and complex roots-solving
calculation
2. Clearly showing the contributions of each loop
poles or zeros to the location of the closed-loop poles.
3. Indicating the manner in which the loop poles
and zeros should be modified so that the response
meets system performance specifications.

4
 START FROM AN EXAMPLE

Consider a second-order system shown as follows:

R(s) k Y(s) Closed-loop TF:

- s ( s  1) k
 ( s)  2
s sk
Characteristic equation (CE): s sk 0
2

 1  1  4k 1 1
Roots of CE: s1, 2     1  4k
2 2 2
The roots of CE change as the value of k changes.
When k changes from 0 to ∞, how will the locus of the roots of
CE move?
5
 1 1
s1,2   1  4k , k : 0   k 
2 2
k＝0 s1  0 s 2  1
k 0 k 0

0  k  1/ 4 As the value of k increases, －1 1 －1/2 0

the two negative real roots k
move closer to each other.
4
k＝1/ 4 s1  s2  1/ 2 k 
A pair of complex-conjugate roots leave the negative
1/ 4  k   real-axis and move upwards and downwards following
the line s=-1/2.

On the s plane, using arrows to denote the direction of characteristic

roots move when k increases, by numerical value to denote the gain at
the poles.
6
By Root loci, we can analyze the system behaviors

(1)Stability:
when Root loci are on the left half plane, then the
system is definitely stable for all k>0.

(2)Steady-state performance:
there ’s an open-loop pole at s=0, so the system is a
type I system. The steady-state error is
0 under step input signal
R/Kv under ramp signal v0t
∞ under parabolic signal.

7
(3)Transient performance:
there’s a close relationship between root loci and system
behavior
on the real-axis: k<0.25 underdamped;
k=0.25 critically damped
k>0.25 underdamped.
However, it’s difficult to draw root loci directly by closed-
loop characteristic roots-solving method.

The idea of root loci : by loop transfer function, draw

closed-loop root loci directly.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ZEROS AND POLES
OF G(S)H(S) AND CLOSED-LOOP ONES

R(S) Y(s)
G(s)
-

H(s)

Forward path TF: G ( s ) Closed-loop TF:

G( s)
Feedback path TF: H ( s )
 ( s) 
1  G( s) H ( s)

9
 To draw Closed-loop root locus is to solve the CE

1  G( s) H ( s)  0
That is
G( s) H ( s)  1 RL equation

Suppose that G(s)H(s) has m zeros (Zi) and n poles（Pi), the above
equation can be re-written as
m
K  (s  Zi )
G (s) H (s)  i 1
 1 K* varies from
0 to ∞
n

 (s  P )
i 1
i
10
 m
K  (s  Zi )
RL equation: G (s) H (s)  i 1
n
 1
 (s  P )
i 1
i

Since G(s)H(s) is function of a complex variable s, the root locus

equation can be described by the following two equations:
Magnitude equation (ME) Angle equation (AE)
m
K  s  Zi m n

i 1
n
1  ( s  Z )   ( s  P )
i 1
i
i 1
i

 sP
i 1
i  (2l  1) , l  0, 1, 2,

Magnitude equation is related not Angel equation is only related to zero

only to zeros and poles of G(s)H(s), and poles of G(s)H(s).
but also to RL gain ；
Use AE to draw root loci and use ME to determine the
value of K on root loci. 11
Example 1
K ( s  1) K '  K / T1T2 2
G( s) H ( s) 
s(T1 s  1)(T2 2 s 2  2 T2 s  1)
 d  1   2 T2
K ' ( s  1/  )

s( s  1/ T1 )( s  n  jd )( s  n  jd )
n  1/ T2

Poles of G(s)H(s)（×） p1  0 p2  1/ T1 p 3, 4   n  jd

Zeros of G(s)H(s)（〇） z1  1 / 
For a point s1 on the root loci, use AE
1 4
G ( s1 ) H ( s1 )   ( s  zi )   ( s  pi )
i 1 i 1

 1  (1   2   3   4 )

Use ME
Angel is in the
s1  s1  p2  s1  p3  s1  p4 direction of anti-
K 
'

s1  z1 clockwise
12
Example 2
K
Unity-feedback transfer function: G (s ) 
s
One pole of G(s)H(s): p1  0
No zero.
Test a point s1 on the
negative real-axis
m n

 ( s  z )  ( s  p ) |
i 1
i
i 1
i s1

 s1  p1  180

All the points on the negative real-axis are on RL.

m n
Test a point outside the
negative real-axis s2=-1-j
 ( s  z )  ( s  p ) |
i 1
i
i 1
i s2

 s2  p1  135
All the points outside the negative real-axis are not on RL. 13
4-3 RULES TO DRAW REGULAR ROOT LOCI

(suppose the varying parameter is open-

loop gain K )

14
 PROPERTIES OF ROOT LOCI
1 K  0 and K   points of Root Loci

2 Number of Branches on the RL

3 Symmetry of the RL

4 Root Loci on the real-axis

5 Asymptotes of the RL

6 Breakaway points on the RL

7 Departure angle and arrival angle of RL

8 Intersection of the RL with the imaginary axis

9 The sum of the roots and the product of the roots of the
closed-loop characteristic equation
15
1 K  0 and K   points
Root loci originate on the poles of G(s)H(s) (for K=0) and
terminates on the zeros of G(s)H(s) (as K=∞).
m
K  ( s  Zi )
RL
Equation: G( s) H ( s)  i 1
n
 1
 (s  P )
i 1
i

m n
K  s  Zi  sP i
Magnitude
Equation:
i 1
n
1 K＝ i 1
m

 sP
i 1
i  sZ
i 1
i

K 0  s  Pi Root loci start from poles of G(s)H(s)

K   s  Zi Root loci end at zeros of G(s)H(s).

16
2 Number of branches on the RL
nth-order system, RL have n starting points and RL have n
branches
m
K  ( s  Zi )
RL
Equation: G( s) H ( s)  i 1
n
 1
 (s  P )
i 1
i

The order of the characteristic equation is n as K varies

from 0 to ∞ ,n roots changen root loci.
For a real physical system, the number of poles of G(s)H(s)
are more than zeros，i.e. n > m.
n root loci end at open-loop zeros（finite zeros)；
m root loci end at open-loop zeros（finite zeros)；
（n－m）root loci end at (n－m) infinite zeros. 17
3 Symmetry of the RL
The RL are symmetrical with respect to the real axis of
the s-plane.

The roots of characteristic equation are real or complex-

conjugate.

Therefore, we only need to draw the RL on the up half

s-plane and on the real-axis, the rest can be obtained
by plotting its mirror image.

18
4 RL on the Real Axis
On a given section of the real axis, RL for k>0 are found in the
section only if the total number of poles and zeros of G(s)H(s) to the
right of the section is odd.

zero：z1 poles：p1、p2、p3、p4、p5
Pick a test point s1 on [p2，p3]
1 5
G ( s1 ) H ( s1 )   ( s1  zi )  ( s1  pi )
i 1 i 1

？ G( s1 ) H ( s1 )＝(2l  1)180

The sum of angles provided by every pair of
complex conjugate poles are 360°;
The angle provided by all the poles and zeros on
the right of s1 is 180°;
The angle provided by all the poles and zeros on the left of s1 is190°.
Example Consider the following loop transfer function
K ( s  1)( s  4)( s  6)
G(s) H (s) 
s ( s  2)( s  3)
2 2

Determine its root loci on the real axis.

jw
Poles: Zeros:
S-plane
Repeated poles:

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0

On the right of [-2，-1] the number of real zeros and poles=3.

On the right of [-6，-4], the number of real zeros and poles=7.

20
5 Asymptotes of RL
When n ≠ m, there will be 2|n-m| asymptotes that describe the
behavior of the RL at |s|=∞.
m
K  ( s  Zi )
RL
Equation: G( s) H ( s)  i 1
n
 1
 (s  P )
i 1
i

The angles between the asymptotes and the real axis are
（i= 0，1，2，… ,n-m-1） ：
(2i  1)180
a 
nm
The asymptotes intersect the real axis at：
n m

p  zi i
 a＝ i 1 i 1

nm 21
Example Consider the following loop transfer function
K (0.25s  1) K * (s  4)
G( s) H ( s)  
s(s  1)(0.2s  1) s(s  1)(s  5)
Determine the asymptotes of its root loci.
3 poles：0、-1、-5
n-m = 3 -1 = 2
1 zero：-4

The asymptotes intersect the real axis at

n m

p  z i i
(0)  (1)  (5)  (4)
 a＝ i 1 i 1
  1
nm 3 1
The angles between the asymptotes and the real axis are

(2i  1)180
a  , i  0,1 a  90 , 270
nm
22
Example Consider the following loop transfer function
K ( s  1)
G(s) H (s) 
s ( s  4)( s 2  2s  2)
Determine the asymptotes of its root loci.

4 poles：0、-1+j、-1-j、-4 n-m=4-1=3
1 zero：-1

The asymptotes intersect the real axis at

n m

 p zi i
 a＝ i 1 i 1

nm
(0)  (1  j )  (1  j )  (4)  (1) 5
 
4 1 3
The angles between the asymptotes and the real axis are
(2i  1)180
a  , i  0,1,2 a  60 ,180 , 300
nm 23
6 Breakaway points on the RL
Breakaway points on the RL correspond to multi-order roots of the
RL equation.
The breakaway points on the RL are determined by finding the
roots of dK/ds=0 or dG(s)H(s)=0.
j
p3
[s]

p2 p1
0 

p4
24
Example The poles and zeros of G(s)H(s) are shown in the
following figure, determine its root loci.
jω
Rule 1、2、3
RL have three branches，starting from
poles 0、－2、－3，ending at on finite
-3 -2 -1 0 σ zero －1 and two infinite zeros. The RL
are symmetrical with respect to the real
axis.

Ruel 4The intersections [-1,0] and[-3,-2] on the real axis are RL.
Rule 5The RL have two asymptotes(n－m＝2)
n m

a 
(2i  1)180
 90, 270 p  z i i
0  (2)  (3)  (1)
nm  a＝ i 1 i 1
  2
i  0,1 nm 2
Rule 6The RL have breakaway points on the real axis (within[-3,-2])
1 1 1 1
＝ ＋ ＋  b  2.47
 b＋1  b  0  b＋2  b＋3
25
Example K
G( s) H ( s) 
s( s  4)( s 2  4s  20)

jω Rule 1、2、3、4 n=4,m=0

j4 the RL are symmetrical with respect
to the real axis;
the RL have four branches which
start from poles 0,-4 and -2±j4 ;
the RL end at infinite zeros;
the intersection [-4,0] on the real-
-2 0 σ axis is RL
-4
Rule 5
The RL have four asymptotes.
(2l  1)180
a  (l  0,1,2,3)
-j4 nm
 45， 135, 225，315
n m

p  z i i
0  (4)  (2)＋(2)
 a＝ i 1 i 1
  2 26
nm 4
Example
K
G( s) H ( s) 
s( s  4)( s 2  4s  20)

jω Rule 6the breakaway point of

j4
the RL
K
1  G( s) H ( s)  1  0
s( s  4)( s  4s  20)
2

K  s(s  4)(s 2  4s  20)

-4
-2 0 σ  ( s 4  8s3  36s 2  80s)

dK
 (4 s 3  24s 2  72s  80)  0
ds
-j4  b1  2

 b 2, 3  2  j 2.45

27
7 Angles of departure and angles of arrival of the RL

The angle of departure or arrival of a root locus at a pole or zero,

respectively, of G(s)H(s) denotes the angle of the tangent to the
locus near the point.

28
Angle of Departure:
m n
 pj＝(2l  1) ＋ ( p j  zi )   ( p j  pi ), l  0, 1,
i 1 i 1
i j

Pick up a point s1 that is close to p1

Applying Angle Equation (AE)

( s1  z1 )  ( s1  p1 )  ( s1  p2 )  ( s1  p3 ) 
(2l  1)

s1p1 (s1  p1 ) angle of departure θp1

 p1＝(2l  1)＋( p1  z1 )  ( p1  p2 )  ( p1  p3 )
29
Angle of Arrival:
n m
 zj＝(2l  1) ＋ ( z j  pi )   ( z j  zi ), l  0, 1,
i 1 i 1
i j

30
Example Consider the following loop transfer function
Ks
G (s) H (s) 
 s  1  s  1
2

Determine its RL when K varies from 0 to ∞.

3 poles P1,2=-1(repeated poles) P3=1；1 zero Z1=0，n-m=2。
3 branches ，2 asymptotes
n m j
P Z i i
1  1  1  0
a  i 1 i 1
  0.5
nm 3 1

(2l  1)  3
a   , -1 -0.5
nm 2 2 1

Angle of departure:

  3
 pl  (2l  1)       ,
2 2 2 31
8 Intersection of the RL with the Imaginary Axis

Intersection of the RL with The characteristic equation have

Im-axis? roots on the Im-axis and the
system is marginally stable.

Method 1 Use Routh’s criterion to obtain the value of

K when the system is marginally stable, the get ω
from K.
Method 2
s  j  1  G ( s ) H ( s )  0  1  G ( j ) H ( j )  0
Re 1  G ( j ) H ( j )  0
 
Im1  G ( j ) H ( j )  0
32