Root Locus Techniques

By
Nand Kishore
 Introduction
• Root locus is defined as the Locus of closed
Loop Poles obtained when system gain k is
varied from 0 to ∞.
 Angle and Magnitude Conditions
• The angle condition is used for checking whether certain points lie on root
locus or not.
G ( s ) H ( s)  1  j 0
 1  180
G ( s ) H ( s)  180o  tan 1 0 o
 180o
G ( s ) H ( s)  (2q  1)180o

• The magnitude condition is used for finding the value of system gain at any
point on root locus.

G ( s ) H ( s )  (1) 2  0 2
G(s) H (s)  1
 Construction Rules of Root Locus
1. Root locus is symmetrical about the real axis [G(s)H(s)=-1].
2. Let P= number of open loop poles.
Z= number of open loop zeros.
if P>Z; Then the number of branches of root locus is P
→ The number of branches terminating at zeros = Z
→ The number of branches terminating at ∞ = P-Z
3. A point on real axis is said to be on root locus if the sum of open loop poles
& zeros to the right side of the point is odd.
Ex- K ( s  2)( s  6)
G ( s ) H ( s)  ;
s( s  1)( s  8)
P  3, Z  2; P  Z  1
4. Angle of Asymptotes: The P-Z branches terminating at ∞will go along
certain straight lines known as asymptotes of root locus.
(2q  1)180o PZ  2
 ; q  0,1,2,3.........
PZ
Ex- 1 
(2  0  1)180 o
 90 o
2
(2  1  1)180 o
→ Number of Asymptotes =P-Z 1 
2
 270 o
→ All the asymptotes are drawn in anticlockwise direction.
 Construction Rules of Root Locus
5. Centroid: It is the intersection point of the asymptotes on real axis. It may or
may not be a part of root locus.
Centroid 
 (real part of open loop poles) -  (real part of open loop zeros)
P-Z
6. Break-away point or Break-in point: They are those points where multiple
roots of characteristics equation occurs.
Procedure:
i. Construct 1+G(s)H(s)=0
ii. Write ‘k’ in terms of ‘s’
dk
iii. Find 0
ds
iv. The root of dk  0 , will give break-away or break-inn point.
ds
v. First Break-away or break-in point substitute in step (ii)
if k=+ve , then valid break-away/break-inn point
 General prediction about break-away point
• The complex conjugate path for the branches of root locus approaching or
leaving the break-away point is a circle.
• Whenever there are two adjacently placed poles on real axis with the section
of real axis between them as a part of root locus. There exist a break-away
point between the adjacently placed poles.
Notes:-
- Effect of adding poles on transfer function is stability decreases.
- Effect of adding zeros on transfer function is stability increases.
- Whenever there is a zero on real axis and to the left side of zero there are no
poles or zeros on real axis, the entire section of real axis to the left side of
this zero as a part of root locus, there exists a break-away point to the left
side of that zero.
Bounded Input Bounded Output Stability (contd..)
Bounded Input Bounded Output Stability (contd..)
Zero-Input Stability
 The Routh stability Criterion
• The Routh Stability criterion is an analytical procedure for
determining if all the roots of a polynomial have negative real
parts and is used in the stability analysis of linear time-invariant
systems.
• Characteristics equation of linear time-invariant systems is of the
form.
( s)  a0 s n  a1s n1  ....... an1s1  an s 0  0

• Where the coefficients ai are real numbers.

 The Routh stability Criterion (contd..)

• If any coefficient is zero/negative, we immediately know that the system is not

stable.
• If the elements of the first column are not all positive, the number of roots in the
right half of s-plane equals the number of sign changes in the first column.
The Routh stability Criterion (contd..)
 The Routh stability Criterion (contd..)
• Case I: A row of all zeros
 The Routh stability Criterion (contd..)
• Case I: A row of all zeros
 The Routh stability Criterion (contd..)
• Case I: A row of all zeros
 The Routh stability Criterion (contd..)
• Case I: A row of all zeros
 The Routh stability Criterion (contd..)
• Case I: A row of all zeros
The Routh stability Criterion (contd..)
 The Routh stability Criterion (contd..)
• Case II: Pivot element