3.

The root locus design method

3.1 THE PROBLEM
From the performance specifications: know the dominant 2
nd
order poles that the
Closed Loop Transfer Function (CLTF) is to have
We know poles and zeros of G(s) and H(s). Must design the controller Gc(s) to give
the required CLTF poles (plus any other non-dominant ones).
We need a method (quick and easy) to predict the CLTF poles given the zeros and the
poles of the Open Loop Transfer Function (OLTF). The OLTF will contain the
controller Gc(s).
We guess the form of this which we think will do the job. We then can apply easy
methods to calculate the coefficients of Gc(s) to give the required CLTF poles.
3.2 THE ROOT LOCUS
Given the OLTF Go(s) with Go(s)=kGc(s)G(s)H(s) (where k is normally a gain
included in the controller), the root locus plots in the s-plane the locus of all the roots
of 1+Go(s)=0 as k varies.
Since the denominator of the CLTF is going to be 1+Go(s), then the root locus plote
the locus of all the poles of the CLTF for a variable loop gain constant k. i.e. it tells
you the value of the CLTF poles as k varies.
Note: The poles and hence the dynamic response of error abd disturbance transfer
functions are the same as that of the CLTF. Only the zeros will be different.
So we have: (k included in the controller)
G(S) kGc(s)
-
H(s)
+
G(S) kGc(s)
c(s)
r(s)
-
H(s)
+
Go(s)=kGc(s)G(s)H(s)
Denominator of CLTF 1+ kGc(s)G(s)H(s) = 0
There are 3 methods for obtaining the root locus:
1) By Maths
2) By Computer
3) By some sketching rules
3.2.1 By Maths
Example:
Let Gc(s)=1 and have only a gain as controller
(i.e. we are not designing anything!)
) ( 1
) (
) 7 )( 1 (
4
1
) 7 )( 1 (
4
) (
) (
s kG
s kG
s s
k
s s
k
s r
s c
+
=
+ +
+
+ +
=
) 4 7 ( 8
4
2
k s s
k
CLTF
+ + +
=
Root locus from 1+kG(s)=0 0
) 7 )( 1 (
4
1 =
+ +
+
s s
k
0 ) 4 7 ( 8
2
= + + + k s s
For different values of k:
k 0 1.25 2.25 2.5 8.5 k
CLTF
denominator
7 8
2
+ + s s 12 8
2
+ + s s 16 8
2
+ + s s 17 8
2
+ + s s 41 8
2
+ + s s
A s s + + 8
2
A
Closed loop
poles
S
1
=-1
S
2
=-7
S
1
=-2
S
2
=-6
S
1/2
= -4
S
1
=-4+j1
S
2
=-4-j1
S
1
=-4+j5
S
2
=-4-j5
S
1
=-4+j|,
S
2
=-4-j1|
|
Characteristics
e
0
=2.645
,=1.5
e
0
=3.464
,=1.15
e
0
=4
,=1
e
0
=4.123
,=0.97
e
0
=6.4
,=0.62

0
e
0
) 7 )( 1 (
4
+ + s s
k
c(s)
r(s)
-
+
G(s)
Plot the roots (poles) in the s-plane:
System closed loop poles moves as the value of k changes. Obviously this method is very
slow. What about drawing the root locus if:
) 8 )( 4 )( 3 (
30 4
) (
2
+ + +
+ +
=
s s s s
s s
s G
Note
If s=x+jy lies on the root locus, then s=x+jy is a solution to 1+kG(s)=0
o
jy x s
s kG 180 1 1 ) ( Z = =
+ =
Example:
Is s=10 on the previous root locus?
o
k k k
0
27
4
27
4
) 7 10 )( 1 10 (
* 4
Z = =
+ +
The answer is no because k>0.
Is s4+j4 on the previous root locus?
o
o o
k k
j j
k
j j
k
180
25
4
13 . 53 5 * 87 . 126 5
4
) 4 3 )( 4 3 (
4
) 7 4 4 )( 1 4 4 (
* 4
Z =
c c
=
+ +
=
+ + + +
The answer is now yes!
The value of k for which the closed loop poles are -4j4 is:
1
25
4
=
k
k=6.25
3.2.2 By Computer
We can use software like Matlab or codas and tha root locus will be obtained simply by
typing the relevant transfer functions.
3.2.3 Sketching root locus by hand
Rules for drawing the root locus
1) The Root Locus (RL) starts on open loop poles (k=0) and finishes on
open loop zeros (k=)
If OLTF has np poles and nz zeros (normally np > nz), then RL will go to in np - nz
directions (i.e. we have np nz zeros at ).
E.g. if G(s)=
) 7 )( 6 (
) 3 ( 14
+ +
+
s s
s
Then 1+kG(s)=0 (s+6)(s+7)+14k(s+3)=0
When k=0 closed loop roots are -6, -7
When k is very large ( ) the roots are -3 and
1a) Closed loop poles (i.e. RL) will always try and get to the open loop zeros
avoiding the open loop poles
2) The real axis to the left of an odd number of OL poles and zeros is
part of the RL.
(i.e. A segment of the real axis is part of the root locus if there are an odd number of poles and
zeros counted together to the right of it)
Ex.
) 5 4 )( 9 )( 1 (
) 20 8 )( 5 (
) (
2 2
2
+ + +
+ + +
=
s s s s
s s s
s G
3 zeros: -5, -4j2
5 poles: -1, 3, -2j1
np-nz=2 2 zeros at
Ex.
) 3 (
1
) (
2
+
=
s s
s G
np-nz=3 3 zeros at
poles: 0, 0, -3
Ex.
) 2 )( 1 (
) 3 (
) (
+ +
+
=
s s
s
s G
np-nz=1 1 zero at
Observation:
If two real poles and one real zero with
zero to the left of both poles and the
distances of the two poles from the zero
are respectively a and b, then the RL
includes a circle of radius ab centred
on the zero.
3) If RL goes to , it will converge to straight line asymptotes
3a) Asymptotes lie in the s plane at angles:
nz np
i

+ t ) 1 2 (
rad (for i=0,1,2,3 etc.)
3b) Asymptotes intersect the real axis at
nz np
z p
z
p n
j
j
n
i
i

=
nz np
sum

) zeros of sum - poles of (

Where p
i
are the poles (i=0,1,2.np)
z
j
are the zeros (j=0,1,2.nz)
Ex. G(s) =
) 6 ( ) 1 (
1
2
+ + s s
np-nz=3 3 zeros at
poles = -1, -1, -6
3) (i /3 7
2) (i /3 5
1) (i
0) (i 3 /
3
) 1 2 (
=
=
=
=
=
+
t
t
t
t
t i
Intersect at
3
8
3
) 6 ( ) 1 ( ) 1 (
=
+ +
Ex. G(s) =
) 2 )( 13 4 (
) 3 (
2
+ + +
+
s s s
s
np-nz=2 2 zeros at
poles = -2j3, -2; zero: -3
Same as the 1
st
angle
Asymptotes:
3) (i /2 7
2) (i /2 5
1) (i 2 / 3
0) (i 2 /
3
) 1 2 (
=
=
=
=
=
+
t
t
t
t
t i
Intersect at
2
3
3
) 3 ( ) 3 2 ( ) 3 2 ( ) 2 (
=
+ + + j j
4) Graphical method to check that a given point is on the RL
Consider G(s) =
) 2 )( 52 12 (
) 4 (
2
+ + +
+
s s s s
s
poles = -6j4, -2, 0; zero: -4
Is point A on the RL?
Let A be s=x+jy
4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1
1 1
* * *
) 2 )( 4 6 )( 4 6 )( (
) 4 (
p p p p p p p p
z z
V V V V
kV
jy x j jy x j jy x jy x
jy x k
0 0 0 0
0
Z Z Z Z
Z
=
=
+ + + + + + + +
+ +
A is on the root locus if it satisfies the following condition:
0 ) ( 1 = + s kGo
o
s kGo 180 1 1 ) ( Z = =
Same as the 1
st
two angles
Which means:
a) 1
* * *
4 3 2 1
1
=
p p p p
z
V V V V
kV
b)
o
z p p p p
180
1 4 3 2 1
= Z Z + Z + Z + Z 0 0 0 0 0
a) is called the GAIN CRITERIA (the value of k can be obtained from here)
b) is called the ANGLE CRITERIA
These two criteria can be generalized for any number of poles and zeros in the transfer
function.
5) Angle of departure (convergence) from a pole (to a zero)
Consider the following situation:
Assume that the RL has just left the pole P by an unknown angle u . We want to find u .
Consider a point A very near to P (i.e. u
P
= u
A
)
From the angle criteria in rule 4 applied to point A we have:
o
z p p p p
180
1 3 2 1
= + + + 0 0 0 0 0
o
p p p z p
180
3 2 1 1
+ = 0 0 0 0 0
So if l represent the generic pole we have:
Angle of departure from a pole
For convergence onto a zero we will have:
(l represent the generic zero)
Note: for a multiple pole (zero) of order q we MUST count the angle from the pole (to a
zero) q times having:
180
1
+ =

= = l i
pi
n
j
zj pl
z
q u u u
180
1
+ =

= = l i
zj
n
j
pi zl
p
q u u u
180
1
+ =

= = l i
pi
n
j
zj pl
z
u u u
180
1
+ =

= = l i
zj
n
j
pi zl
p
u u u
6) Breakaway points from real axis
This rule is more complex than the others to apply.
There are a graphical and a analytical techniques to determine the breakaway points.
We`ll have only a look briefly to the analytical one.
Given the characteristic equation 1+kG(s)=0
We can isolate the factor k obtaining k=p(s).
Breakaway points will be the maximum of k=p(s) and they can be determined by
imposing:
0
) (
= =
ds
s dp
ds
dk
Example:
4) 2)(s -(s p(s) k
0
) 4 )( 2 (
k
1 kG(s) 1
) 4 )( 2 (
1
) (
+ + = =
=
+ +
+ = +
+ +
=
s s s s
s G
-3 s 0 6) (2s - 0
) (
= = + = =
ds
s dp
ds
dk
There are other secondary rules, but those six are more than enough to sketch a good root
locus.
Re
Im
-2 -4
Breakaway point