Root Locus

Modern Control Systems

Course Teacher: Md. Sajid Hossain
Introduction
• Root Locus is a graphical representation of the closed loop poles as a system parameter is
varied.
• The root locus gives us a qualitative description of a control system’s performance.
• The root locus is also a powerful quantitative tool that yields more information than
methods already discussed.
• Till now, we have defined specifications for first-order and second-order systems,
however, root locus can be used to design higher order systems to make it perform like
second order systems.
➢ For example: Defining the %OS or settling time for a higher order system
• The root locus method can be used to describe the performance of a system as various
parameters of a system are changed.
➢ For example: The effect of change in spring constant, as the spring becomes old, in
percent overshoot, settling time and peak time can be vividly explained with the help
of root locus.
• Root locus is a powerful method of analysis and design for stability and transient
response
Control System Problem
• The figure above shows a close-loop system and the figure below
shows its equivalent close-loop transfer function.
• Now,
𝐊𝐆 𝐬
𝐓 𝐬 =
𝟏 + 𝐊𝐆 𝐬 𝐇(𝐬)
• If,
𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐇
𝐆 𝐬 = 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇 𝐬 =
𝐃𝐆 𝐃𝐇
𝐊𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐇
∴𝐓 𝐬 =
𝐃𝐆 𝐃𝐇 + 𝐊𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐇
• 𝟏 + 𝐊𝐆 𝐬 𝐇 𝐬 = 𝟎 is called the characteristics equation of a
close-loop system.
• It is called the characteristic equation as the roots of this
equation give the poles of the close-loop system.
• For an open loop system, the poles of the system remains
unchanged when gain is changed.
• However, as can be seen, for a close-loop system changing the
value of K will change the poles of the system.
• Since the transient response and stability depend on the poles of
the system, there is no way other than factorizing the
denominator to find the poles.
• Root locus will provide a vivid picture of the poles as K is varied.
Control System Problem 𝐬+𝟏 (𝐬 + 𝟑)
𝐆 𝐬 = 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇 𝐬 =
From the close loop transfer function we can find the characteristics 𝐬(𝐬 + 𝟐) (𝐬 + 𝟒)
equation to be:
𝐬 𝐬+𝟐 𝐬+𝟒 +𝐊 𝐬+𝟏 𝐬+𝟑 =𝟎 Finding the close-loop transfer function:
• When K =0 we can see that the poles of the close loop system is
same as the open loop poles of the system. 𝐊𝐆(𝐬)
• However, when the value of K is increased, we are putting more 𝐓 𝐬 =
𝟏 + 𝐊𝐆(𝐬)𝐇(𝐬)
emphasize on the open-loop zeros. 𝐊(𝐬 + 𝟏)
• And as K is increased to infinity, the open-loop zeros become 𝐬(𝐬 + 𝟐)
dominant. => 𝐓 𝐬 =
(𝐬 + 𝟏) (𝐬 + 𝟑)
𝟏+𝐊
• However, when K is changed, we need to factorize the polynomial 𝐬(𝐬 + 𝟐) (𝐬 + 𝟒)
to find the poles. 𝐊(𝐬 + 𝟏)(𝐬 + 𝟒)
=> 𝐓 𝐬 =
𝐬 𝟑 + 𝟔 + 𝐊 𝐬 𝟐 + 𝟖 + 𝟒𝐊 𝐬 + 𝟑𝐊 = 𝟎 𝐬 𝐬 + 𝟐 𝐬 + 𝟒 + 𝐊(𝐬 + 𝟏)(𝐬 + 𝟑)

Table showing as K is increased the poles of the system changes

Defining the Root Locus
Root Locus is the representation of the path the closed-loop poles as the system gain is varied.

Block diagram of a security camera with auto

tracking feature

Closed-loop transfer function of the system

Table for pole location as function of gain of the

system.
Defining the Root Locus

Connecting the
points to draw
Poles moving the locus
as K is changed

Pole plot from the table Root Locus

Properties of Root Locus (Magnitude and Angle Criterion)
The properties of root locus is derived from the characteristic equation of a close-loop transfer function:
𝐊𝐆(𝐬)
𝐓 𝐬 =
𝟏 + 𝐊𝐆 𝐬 𝐇(𝐬)
The poles are the values of s when the characteristics equation becomes zero.
𝟏 + 𝐊𝐆 𝐬 𝐇 𝐬 = 𝟎
𝐊𝐆 𝐬 𝐇 𝐬 = −𝟏 = 𝟏∠ 𝟐𝐤 + 𝟏 𝟏𝟖𝟎° 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐤 = 𝟎, ±𝟏, ±𝟐, ⋯
This means for a value of s is a closed loop pole if,
𝐊𝐆 𝐬 𝐇(𝐬) = 𝟏
∠𝐊𝐆 𝐬 𝐇 𝐬 = 𝟐𝐤 + 𝟏 𝟏𝟖𝟎°
So the equation above implies that if a value of s is substituted in the function KG(s)H(s) then the result is a complex
number. If the angle of the complex number is an odd multiple of 180°, then the value of s is a close loop pole for some
value of K. The value of this K can be found by substituting the value of s in the following equation,
𝟏
𝐊=
𝐆 𝐬 𝐇(𝐬)
• At any point on the root locus, the magnitude of the open loop transfer function is unity.
This is called the magnitude criterion or magnitude condition or condition of magnitude.
• At any point on the root locus, the angle of the open-loop transfer function is an odd
multiple of 180°. This is called the angle criterion or angle condition or condition of angle.
Sketching The Root Locus
Many times we require an intuitive understanding of how the roots move for a system when the gain is varied. In those
situations we do not need an exact root-locus drawing. We merely need a sketch. We can sketch the root locus of a system
by using the following rules.
• Number of branches: Each closed-loop poles move as the gain varies. So if each path is considered as a branch, then there
will be n number of branches for n number of closed-loop poles.

• When K = 0, s = 0 and s = −10.

• As the gain K is varied, we can clearly observe each
pole take its own path.
• And as there are two poles, there are two paths or
branches.
Sketching The Root Locus
• Symmetry: The root locus will always be symmetrical about the real axis. Which means, for real physical systems, if there
exists a complex pole, there will definitely exist a pole which is its complex conjugate.
Sketching The Root Locus
• Real –Axis Segments: To draw the real-axis segments we need to use the angle
condition or angle criterion.
• The angle contribution of open-loop complex conjugate poles for each of
the point will be zero.
• The angle contribution for each points only comes from open-loop poles
and zeros that are on the real axis.
• The angle contribution of the open-loop poles and open-loop zeros to the
left of the respective point is zero.
• Therefore the conclusion is that only contribution comes from the real-axis open-loop poles and zeros that exist to
the right of the respective points.
• So we can note that, the angle in the real axis is either 0 or 180°.
• Thus, on the real axis, for K > 0 the root locus exists to the left of an odd-number of real-axis, finite open-loop poles
and/or finite loop zeros

In the figure to the left we can see that the root locus exists only to left of
odd numbered pole and odd numbered 0.
Sketching The Root Locus
• Starting and Ending Points: Where the root locus starts and where it ends, as K is changed from 0 to ∞ can be explained
by the following equation:
𝐊𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐇
𝐓 𝐬 =
𝐃𝐆 𝐃𝐇 + 𝐊𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐇
• When K approaches 0 (𝐊 = 𝛆)
𝛆𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐇
𝐓 𝐬 =
𝐃𝐆 𝐃𝐇 + 𝛆𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐇
➢ 𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐇 is almost zero or negligible. Therefore, when K=0 root locus starts at the open loop poles of a system.
• When K approaches infinity (K = ∞)
𝐊𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐇
𝐓 𝐬 =
𝛆 + 𝐊𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐇
➢ 𝐃𝐆 𝐃𝐇 becomes negligible. Therefore, when K tends to
infinity, root locus ends at the open-loop zeros.
• So if number of poles and number zeros is same, all the root locus
starts at the poles and ends at the zeros.
• If the number of poles is less zero, then root locus es for finite
poles end at zeros. And for the extra zeros, root locus travels
from infinity and ends at the extra zeros.
• If the number of poles is greater than number of zeros, then root
locus from some poles travel to the finite zeros, and the root
locus from the extra poles travel to infinity.
Sketching The Root Locus
• Behavior at infinity:
• A function can have infinite poles and infinite zeros.
• If a function becomes zero when s becomes infinity then, the function has zero at infinity. For example: A function,
1
G s = s has a zero at infinity because, we can see that when s tends to infinity then the function becomes 0.
• If a function becomes infinity when s becomes infinity then, the function has poles at infinity. For example: A
function, G s = s has a pole at infinity because, we can see that when s tends to infinity the function becomes
infinity.
• Every function have equal number of poles and zeros considering infinite poles and infinite zeros. For example,
1
G s =
s(s + 2)(s + 3)
This transfer function becomes zero for each of the s when s tends to infinity. This means the transfer function has
three zeros at infinity.
• So, if m is the number of zeros and n is the number of poles of a function then,
• When 𝐦 = 𝐧, the function will have equal number of poles and zeros, then all the branch start from finite poles
and end at finite zeros.
• When 𝐦 > 𝐧, the function will have 𝐦 − 𝐧 poles at infinity, then m − n branch start from infinite poles and end
at finite zeros.
• When 𝐦 < 𝐧, the function will have 𝐧 − 𝐦 zeros at infinity, then n − m branch start from finite poles and end
at infinite zeros.
Sketching The Root Locus
• When a function has lesser number of finite zeros than finite poles. Then some of the branches starting at finite poles
will end at zeros at infinity.
• If 𝐦 < 𝐧, then 𝐧 − 𝐦 branches end at infinity.
• At infinity, these branches approaches a set of straight line called asymptotes.
• If 𝐦 < 𝐧, then there will be 𝐧 − 𝐦 asymptote lines.
• The asymptotes intersects the real axis at a point called the centroid. The centroid can be found by
σ 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬 − σ 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐬
𝛔𝐚 =
𝐧−𝐦
• The asymptotes make angle with the real axis. The angle can be found by:
𝟐𝐤 + 𝟏 𝟏𝟖𝟎°
𝛉𝐚 =
𝐧−𝐦
Where k = 0; ±1, ±2, ±3 ⋯
Sketching The Root Locus
Example 8.2: Sketch the root locus for the given system:

First, we find the centroid of the asymptote:

1+2+4−3 4
σa = = = 1.33
4−1 3
Then we find the angle of the asymptotes:
2k + 1 180° 2k + 1 180°
θa = =
4−1 3
There will be 3 asymptotes, so for,
k = 0, θa = 60°
k = 1, θa = 180°
k = 2, θa = 300°
Refining the Sketch

The rules covered in the previous section permit us to sketch a root locus rapidly.
If we want more detail, we must be able to accurately find important points on
the root locus along with their associated gain. Points on the real axis where the
root locus enters or leaves the complex plane—real-axis breakaway and break-in
points—and the jw-axis crossings are candidates. We can also derive a better
picture of the root locus by finding the angles of departure and arrival from
complex poles and zeros, respectively.

In this section, we discuss the calculations required to obtain specific points on

the root locus.
Basic Rules for Sketching the Root Locus
Additional Rules for Refining the Sketch
Example: Refining

Soln:
Cont…
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Homework
References

[1] Norman S. Nise, “Control System Engineering”, Sixth Edition, John Wiley and Sons,
2004.

[2] Richard C. Dorf and Robert H. Bishop, “Modern Control System”, Eleventh Edition,
Addison Wesley, 1999.

[3] Katsuhiko Ogata, “Modern Control Engineering”, Fourth Edition, Prentice Hall, 2001.