Resonant Jumps in Feedback Nonlinear Systems

Containing Gain-changing Nonlinearity

Mitica Temneanu, José Francisco Blanco Villalba

Faculty of Electrical Engineering
Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi
Iasi, Romania

Abstract — This study examines the occurrence of the resonant For these frequencies, the excitation signal amplitude for
jumps in a feedback nonlinear system containing a gain-changing which the resonant jump occurs was determined.
nonlinearity. Also, the system contains a linear part that works as The results obtained by numerical simulation confirm the
a low-pass filter. For such a system, the harmonically excitation theoretical considerations.
signal can be determined such that resonant jumps occur. Using
the frequency response, the conditions of appearance of the
resonant jumps are established. A given gain-changing II. THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS
nonlinearity determines a domain in which resonant jumps can Consider the nonlinear system given in Fig.1 excited by a
occur. If the open-loop frequency response locus (polar plot) of harmonic signal of constant amplitude and frequency:
the linear part has one or more points in this domain, the
resonant jumps occur. These points determine the possible r( t ) = R sin ωt (1)
frequency or the frequencies of the excitation signal for which
resonant jumps occur. The amplitude of the excitation signal can
also be determined in order to obtain resonant jumps. The results r(t) x(t) y(t) e(t)
N L
obtained by numerical simulation confirm the theoretical _
considerations.

Keywords - Gain-changing nonlinearity; Nonlinear resonant

jump; Nonlinear systems. Figure 1. The nonlinear system

I. INTRODUCTION
The nonlinear part N is non phase-shifting and the linear
In the nonlinear systems harmonically excited by a constant part L works as a low-pass filter.
amplitude and frequency signal, jump variations of the If the excitation signal is given by (1), then the error
oscillations amplitude can occur. This is due to the resonant signal will have the following form:
jump phenomenon.
The possibility of appearance of slow oscillations was x( t ) = X m sin( ωt + ϕ ) (2)
signaled by C. Hayashi [1] in controlled nonlinear circuit If the linear part works as a low-pass filter, the nonlinear part
presenting resonant jumps. A generally study of the jump can be approximated through the describing function.
resonance in nonlinear feedback systems was presented in [4, Consider a gain-changing nonlinearity, Fig.2.
6, 7]. For this type of nonlinearity, if m1 and m2 are the
The resonant jumps and the resonant jump phenomenon
were studied by many authors. These jumps can occur in many corresponding slopes, the describing function has the form:
fields, such an example it can appear in nonlinear hydraulic N ( X m , m1 , m 2 , δ ) =
system [3, 5]. 2⎛ δ
As a studying method for the jump resonance in feedback = ( m1 − m 2 ) ⎜⎜ arcsin +
nonlinear systems, the describing function was frequently used π⎝ Xm
[2, 4, 6]. 2 ⎞ (3)
In this paper, the authors highlight the possibility of δ ⎛ δ ⎞ ⎟
appearance of resonant jumps in feedback nonlinear system + 1 − ⎜⎜ ⎟ ⎟ + m2 , ( X m ≥ δ ) ,
⎟
Xm ⎝ Xm ⎠ ⎟
having a gain-changing nonlinearity. The conditions of ⎠
appearance of the resonant jumps are established.
m1 , (0 < Xm < δ)
This study was developed using the describing function.
The regions in which the resonant jumps can appear, for Consider, as an example, the linear part transfer function
different values of the nonlinear part parameters, are presented. having the form:
The possible frequencies of the excitation signal that can
produce resonant jumps were determined.
 K the error signal amplitude varies by jump from X m1 to X m 2 .
L( s ) = (4)
s( 1 + Ts ) For a similar reason, when the excitation signal amplitude
decreases, the working point reaches point C and the error
For the considered linear part of the system it can be
determined a frequency (or more frequencies) for which the signal amplitude varies by jump from X m3 to X m 4 .
resonant jumps can occur, if this frequency exists. With the relation (7), the condition (8) becomes:
The linear part can be written as: ⎛ 1 ⎞
L( jω ) = U ( ω ) + jV ( ω ) (5) ⎜U ( ω ) + ⎟⋅
⎜ N ( X m , m1 , m 2 , δ ) ⎟⎠
⎝
(9)
y ⎛ 1 ⎞
m2 ⋅ ⎜U ( ω ) + ⎟ +V 2( ω) = 0
m1δ ⎜ N ( X m , m1 , m 2 , δ ) ⎟⎠
*
⎝
where
δ x
d ( X m N ( X m , m1 , m 2 , δ ))
N * ( X m , m1 , m 2 , δ ) = (10)
d Xm
For the nonlinearity with the describing function given in
Figure 2. The gain-changing nonlinearity relation (3), it obtains:
N * ( X m , m1 , m 2 , δ ) =
With the relations (3) and (5), the error transfer function of
the nonlinear system may be written as: 2⎛ δ
= ( m1 − m 2 ) ⎜ arcsin −
⎜
π⎝ Xm
X 1
( jω, X m , m , δ ) = (6) (11)
R 1 + N ( X m , m1 , m 2 , δ )L( jω ) 2 ⎞
δ ⎛ δ ⎞ ⎟
Considering the magnitude in relation (6), results: − 1 − ⎜⎜ ⎟ ⎟ + m2 ,
⎟ ( Xm ≥ δ ),
(
R = X m ( 1 + U ( ω )N ( X m , m1 , m 2 , δ )) +2
(7)
Xm ⎝ Xm ⎠ ⎟
⎠
+ V 2 ( ω )N 2 ( X m , m1 , m 2 , δ ) )
1/ 2 m1 , (0 < Xm < δ)

The plot of equation (7) in the plane ( R , X m ) is called

For a given nonlinearity, condition (9) can be written as:
resonant jump curve and its aspect is shown in Fig.3. 2
⎛ ⎛ ⎞⎞
⎜U ( ω ) + 1 ⎜ 1
+
1 ⎟⎟ +
Xm ⎜
⎝
2 ⎜⎝ N ( X m ) N * ( X m ) ⎟⎠ ⎟⎠
B
X m2 (12)
2
⎛1 ⎛ 1 1 ⎞ ⎞
C +V 2( ω ) = ⎜ ⎜ − ⎟⎟
X m3 ⎜ 2 ⎜ N * ( X ) N( X m ) ⎟⎟
⎝ ⎝ m ⎠⎠
X m1 A
D where N ( X m ) = N ( X m , m1 , m 2 , δ ) for a given value for
X m4
m1, m2 and δ .
0 R1 R For a given X m , relation (12) represents the equation of a
circle having the center in point
Figure 3. Example of a resonant jump curve ⎛ 1⎛ ⎞
1 1 ⎞
C⎜ − ⎜ + ⎟, 0 ⎟ and the radius
The working point is given by the intersection between the ⎜ 2 ⎜ N( X m ) N * ( X ) ⎟ ⎟
⎝ ⎝ m ⎠ ⎠
resonant jump curve and the vertical straight-line in R = R1 .
If, during the operation, the amplitude of the excitation signal 1 ⎛⎜ 1 1 ⎞
⎟.
ρ= −
varies, the working point moves on the resonant jump curve. 2 ⎜ N * ( X m ) N( X m ) ⎟
⎝ ⎠
In the tangent points, the increase or decrease through jump of If the linear part has the real and imaginary part denoted by
amplitude X m occurs, when the following condition is met: U ( ω ) and V ( ω ) , condition (12) shows that the working
⎛ ∂R ⎞ point of the system reaches tangents points A or C (in which
⎜ ⎟ =0 (8)
⎜∂ X ⎟ the current error signal amplitude is X m1 or X m3 ) the open-
⎝ m ⎠ω= const .
Starting with the situation presented in Fig.3, if the excitation loop frequency response locus (polar plot) of the linear part
signal amplitude increases, the working point reaches point A, intersects one of the circle (12) determined for the amplitude
 X m1 or X m3 , accordingly. The described situation is shown III. SIMULATION RESULTS
in Fig.4. Because the open-loop frequency response locus The numerical simulations are made for a nonlinearity
(polar plot) of the linear part has V ( ω ) < 0 , only the having δ = 1 , m1 = 1 and m2 = 0.1 .
semicircles with V ( ω ) < 0 has been shown. In the considered example, the linear part’s parameters are
K=520, T=1 [s].
The real and imaginary part of the linear subsystem can be
circle (12) for Xm1 written as:
jV(ω) KT
circle (12) for Xm3 U( ω ) = −
1 + ω 2T 2
(13)
U(ω) K
V( ω) = −
ω( 1 + ω 2 T 2 )
The regions in which the resonant jumps can appear, for
L(jω)
different values of the nonlinearity parameters are presented in
Fig.6 and Fig.7.

Figure 4. Semicircles (12) for Xm1 and Xm3 and the open- 4
loop frequency response locus of the linear part
3

The envelope of the circles (12), represented for different 2

error signal amplitudes varying from δ to infinity, define a

Imaginary part, V(ω)

1
region, as it is shown in Fig.6. To be noted that the circles (12)
depend only by the nonlinear part. 0

If the open-loop frequency response locus (polar plot) of the -1

linear part intersects this region, then, for the corresponding -2

frequencies ω, an excitation signal for which the resonant
jumps occur in the nonlinear system exists. -3

Any point of this region corresponds to an intersection -4

-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1
between two circles (12) plotted for two different error signal Real part, U(ω)

amplitudes.
The domain in which the excitation signal amplitude can
varies to produce resonant jumps can be determined from the
S-shaped resonant jump curve depicted in Fig.3.
It can be seen that the excitation signal amplitude limit
values, R, can varies between the vertical straight-line drawn
at tangent points A and C.
jV(ω)
Figure 6. The region in which the resonant jumps can occur
for δ=1, m1=1 and m2=0.1
The plots were made for X m = δ + 0.1...15.1 using a 0.2
step. For others values of δ, m1 and m2 these regions have the
same shape; it can enlarge or diminish (in terms of U(ω) and
V(ω)), depending on the considered values.

1.5

U(ω)
0.5
ω2
Imaginary part, V(ω)

ω1 0

L(jω) -0.5

Figure 5. Domain of the excitation signal frequencies for -1

which resonant jumps occur

-1.5
-5 -4.5 -4 -3.5 -3 -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1
Real part, U(ω)
In the situation presented in Fig.5, for the excitation signal
frequencies between ω1 and ω2 it can find a domain for the Figure 7. The region in which the resonant jumps can occur
excitation signal amplitude to produce the two resonant jumps. for δ=1, m1=1, m2=0.2
 The centers and the radius of the circles (12) depend on the radius (C, ρ) for these semicircles are: (-5.0163, 3.1282) for
error signal amplitude as it is shown in Fig.8.
C1 and (-8.7503, 1.2488) for C2. The open-loop frequency
response locus of the linear part for ω=7…18 [rad/s] was
4
0.1
represented.
It can be seen that the intersection between the two semicircles
2
0.2
corresponds to frequency ω=8 [rad/s] on the open-loop
0.3 frequency response locus.
0
Center, Radius

C
R 0
-2
C2 L
0.3 -0.5
0.2
-4
-1
C1

Imaginary part, V(ω)

-6
0.1 -1.5

-8
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -2 ω=8 [rad/s]
Amplitude, Xm

-2.5
Figure 8. Dependence of the circles’ radius and centers on Xm
for δ=1, m1=1 and different values of m2 -3

-3.5
It can be seen that the radius of the circles (12) decrease at -11 -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5
Real part, U(ω)
-4 -3 -2 -1

the increase of the error signal amplitude X m . In the same

time, the center of these circles moves to the left, accordingly. Figure 10. Semicircles (12) for Xm=2.6 and Xm=34.4
Inside the region in Fig.6 obtained for δ=1, m1=1 and and open-loop frequency response locus
m2=0.1, the point having U ( ω ) = −8 and V ( ω ) = −1 was
considered. This point is part of the open-loop frequency The numerical simulations of the system behavior at the
response locus of the linear part, the corresponding frequency variation of the excitation signal amplitude having the
being ω=8 [rad/s]. frequency ω=8 [rad/s] can now be presented.
Using relation (7), the corresponding resonant jump curve The variation of the error signal at the increase of the
was plotted in Fig.9. It can be seen that the working point excitation signal amplitude from 4 to 11 over 1000 [s] is
moves on these resonant jump curve to the right, a resonant presented in Fig.11.
jump occurs at R=8.53, the corresponding error signal If the excitation signal amplitude decreases from 8 to 1, the
amplitude (before the jump) being X m = 2.6 . If the working working point moves on the upper branch of the resonant
point moves on the upper branch of the resonant jump curve at jump curve, the jump occurs and the error signal varies as it is
the left, a resonant jump occurs at R=5.13, this time the shown in Fig.12.
corresponding error signal amplitude (before the jump) being
X m = 34.4 . 80

60
70
40
60
20
error signal, x

50
0
Amplitude, Xm

40
-20

30
-40

20
-60

10
-80
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
time, [s]
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
R
Figure 11. Error signal amplitude at increase
Figure 9. Resonant jump curve for δ=1, m1=1, m2=0.1, of R from 4 to11
U= -8, V= -1.
The amplitude of the excitation signal at the jump moments
For these values of the error signal amplitude, the semicircles corresponds to the values R=8.53 and R=5.13 above
(12) were plotted in Fig.10. The corresponding centers and mentioned.
 (polar plot) of the linear part intersects this domain, the
80 possible frequency of the excitation signal such that resonant
jumps occur can be determined. The amplitude of the
60
excitation signal for that resonant jumps occur was determined
40 from the resonant jump curve. The numerical simulations
confirm the theoretical considerations.
20
error signal, x

0
REFERENCES
-20 [1] Hayashi C., Non-linear oscillations in physical system, McGraw-Hill,
(1964)
-40
[2] Gelb A., W.E. Vander Velde, Multiple input describing functions and
-60 nonlinear system design, McGraw-Hill, New York, (1968)
[3] Vukic Z., Lj. Kuljaca, D. Donlagic, S. Tesnjak, Nonlinear Control
-80
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 Systems, Marcel Dekker Inc., ISBN: 0-8247-4112-9, New York, (2003)
time, [s]
[4] Hirai K., Sawai N., A general criterion for jump resonance of nonlinear
control systems, IEEE Transaction on Automatic Control, Vol. 23, Issue
Figure 12. Error signal amplitude at decrease of R from 8 to 1 5, pp. 896-901, (1978)
[5] Horvat K., O. Kuljača and Lj. Kuljača, Nonlinear Resonant Jump in
These values for excitation signal amplitude and error signal Rudder Positioning Electrohydraulic Systems, Brodo Gradnja, No. 59,
pp. 111-116, (2008)
amplitude at the jump moments can be also determined from
[6] Fukuma A., Matsubara M., Jump resonance in nonlinear feedback
resonant jump curve, Fig.9. systems, Part I, Approximate analysis by the describing function
method, IEEE Transaction on Automatic Control, Vol. 23, Issue 5, pp.
891-896, (1978)
IV. CONCLUSIONS
[7] Hin Kwan Wong, The Jump Resonance Phenomenon in Nonlinear
This paper aims to present the possibility of occurrence of Feedback Systems, Conference on Nonlinear Engineering Problems and
the resonant jumps in feedback nonlinear systems. The Challenges, Mathematics Institute, Warwick University, (2010)
nonlinear part is represented by a gain-changing nonlinearity.
This nonlinearity determines a domain in which resonant
jumps can occur. If the open-loop frequency response locus