Stability Margins

• What is the worst perturbation of the

Phase Margin & Gain Margin transfer function that will make the system
marginally stable?
• Marginal stability for open loop stable
M. Sami Fadali systems is when the contour goes through
Professor of Electrical Engineering the point (1,0).
University of Nevada

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Gain and Phase Margins Model Perturbation

Gain Margin: gain perturbation that makes R(s) + C(s)
the system marginally stable. G(s) G(s)

Phase Margin: negative phase perturbation 

that makes the system marginally stable.
• G(s) = model perturbation
• Gain Margin: G(s) =  K (gain perturbation)
• Phase Margin: G(s) = ej (phase lag
perturbation)
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 Margins on Polar Plot
Definitions of Margins / =gain crossover /phase crossover

Gain Margin: additional gain that makes the

system on the verge of instability.
Phase Margin: additional phase lag that
makes the system on the verge of
instability.

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Polar plot of Unstable System Point on Bode Plot

• Negative real axis for Nyquist plot
corresponds to an angle of .
• Magnitude of unity corresponds to zero dB.
• For PM we need to find the phase angle at
magnitude unity (0dB).
• For GM we need to find the magnitude at an
angle of .
Negative GM (dBs) and PM.
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 Bode Plot of Stable System
MATLAB Margin
>> [Gm,Pm,Wcg,Wcp] = margin(g)
Gm =
2.5000
Pm =
22.5359
Wcg =
10.0000 (phase crossover freq.)
Wcp =
>> margin(g) 6.0783 (gain crossover freq.)
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Gain Margin Calculation Example: Gain Margin

• Multiply numerator and denominator by the
complex conjugate of the denominator. • Solve for phase crossover (imaginary part zero)
∗ ∗

• Equate the imaginary part of the numerator to

zero and solve for the phase crossover
∗
frequency:

• Calculate the gain margin

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 Phase Margin Calculation
Calculate Gain Margin
• Solve for gain crossover frequency (unity
• Evaluate the magnitude at the phase crossover magnitude)
frequency

• Calculate the phase margin

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Phase Margin Calculation Phase Margin

• Solve for gain crossover (unity magnitude)

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 Stability Margins Delay Margin
>> g=zpk([],[-1,-5],10) = delay margin = time delay for the
Nyquist Diagram
1.5 system to be on the verge of instability.
Zero/pole/gain:
1
10 • Transfer function with time delay
0.5
-----------
Imaginary Axis

(s+1) (s+5)
0
System: g

-0.5
Phase Margin (deg): 104
Delay Margin (sec): 1.12
>> nyquist(g) • System on verge of instability
At frequency (rad/s): 1.62
Closed Loop Stable? Yes
-1

-1.5
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2
Real Axis
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Delay Margin Calculation Example

• Equate angles:

• Solve for the delay margin

Same as MATLAB answer.

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