8

Stability

Every system has to pass through a transient stage for a small period before
reaching a steady state. Automatically the question comes into play, “Will
the system reach to its steady state after passing through the transients?”
To get the answer of this question, study of stability is of utmost
importance. If the system is stable, its performance and improvement can
be taken into account for further consideration. If a linear time invariant
system satisfies the following conditions:

 even after excitation by a bounded input, output must be bounded and

 in the absence of input, output must be zero despite the initial conditions,

the system is said to be stable.

The main objective of this chapter is to study the factor on which stability
depends and to analyze the stability of systems using Routh–Hurwitz’s
criteria.

8.1 EFFECT OF LOCATION OF POLES ON STABILITY

Location of poles has a direct effect on stability. The entire s-

plane is taken into account and it is divided as follows:
1. Left half-plane (LHP)
2. jω-axis
3. Right half-plane (RHP)

Let us consider the following cases:

1. LHP Poles

1. On real axis and simple

2. On real axis and multiple
 3. Complex conjugates and simple
The system is stable for all of the above conditions.
2. jω-axis

0. On jω-axis and simple

1. On jω-axis and multiple
2. At origin
3. At origin and multiple
In this case, if the pole has zero real part and not
repeated, the system is called stable.
3. RHP Poles

0. On real axis and simple

1. On real axis and multiple
2. Complex conjugates and simple
From definition of stability, the impulse response must tend
to zero as time approaches infinity. Therefore, the following
points are important:
1. For all the poles located in left half of s-plane, the impulse
response tends to zero and there the system is stable.
2. Poles on jω axis and simple, the system is marginally stable or
limitedly stable.
3. For all poles located in right half of s-plane, the impulse response
does not tend to zero and it increase with time. Therefore, the
output becomes unbounded. Hence the system is unstable.

Therefore, if the roots of the characteristic equation

1. Has a negative real part, system is stable.
2. Has a zero real part and the pole is not repeated, the system is
marginally or limitedly stable.
3. Has a positive real part, the system is unstable.
Example 8.1 Determine if the following systems are stable,
marginally stable and unstable.
1. −2, −5
2. −3, 2
3. −2, 0
4. −2 + j, −2 − j
5. −2, 2, − j, j
6. −2 + j4, −2 − j4, −2
7. −2 + j2, −2 − j2, −2j, 2j
8. an integrator
9. a step input
10. a bounded input that produces an unbounded output
11. x (t) = cos ωt
12. x(t) = e −t sin 4t

Solution
1. Stable since both roots have negative real parts.
2. Unstable since one root has a positive real part.
3. Marginally stable.
4. Since the negative real parts are only counted, the system is
stable.
5. Unstable because the positive root is 2 here.
6. Stable.
7. Marginally stable.
8. The characteristic equation of an integrator is s = 0. Since there is
no root with positive real part, an integrator is marginally stable.
9. Since a step function gives , the system is marginally stable.
10. Unstable.
11. Unstable since there is no decay.
12. Stable because there is exponential decay.

8.2 ROUTH-HURWITZ CRITERION

It determines the poles of a characteristic equation with

respect to the left and right half of the s-plane without solving
the equation. The transfer function of any closed loop system
is given by:

In Eq. (8.1) a and b are constants. To find the poles of this

closed loop system put

b s + bs
0
n
1
n−1 +…+b =0
n (8.2)

The roots of this characteristic equation represent the closed

loop poles. The stability of the system depends on these poles.
The necessary but not sufficient conditions for the system
having no roots in right half of s-plane are given below:
1. All the co-efficient of the polynomial must have the same sign.
2. All power of s must be present in descending order.
3. The above conditions are not sufficient.

8.2.1 Hurwitz’s Criterion

Hurwitz had given the sufficient conditions for having all

roots of characteristic equation in left half of s-plane.
The polynomial
 b s + bs
0
n
1
n−1 +…+b =0
n

have all roots in the left half of s-plane if and only if all
the n sub-determinants D , n = 1, 2……., n of the Hurwitz
n

determinant (H) are positive. H is given by

All the sub determinants must be positive for a stable system.

The disadvantages of the Hurwitz’s criterion are:
1. It is very complicated and time consuming for solving higher
order systems.
2. This method is unable to judge the exact number of poles located
in right half of s–plane.
3. It is very tough to predict marginal stability.
Due to the above disadvantages, the method suggested by
Routh known as Routh’s method is used. It is also known
as Routh–Hurwitz method.

8.2.2 Routh’s Stability Criterion

In this criterion, the co-efficients are arranged in an array

which is known as a Routh’s array. For the characteristic
equation a s + a s + a s + … + a = 0, the method of
0
n
1
n−1
2
n−2
n

forming the array is given below.

For s : n−2

This process is continued until s is obtained which is equal

0

to a . The stability of the system can be predicted from this

n

array as discussed below:

All the terms in the first column of Routh’s array should have
the same sign and there should not be any change of sign. This
is the necessary and sufficient condition for the system to be
stable.
Any change of sign in the first column of Routh’s array
indicates
1. the system is unstable and
2. the number of changes of sign gives the number of roots lying in
the right half of s-plane.

Example 8.2 Determine the characteristic equation of the

following systems:

1. and H(s) = 0.5

2. and H(s) = s

3. and

Solution
Characteristic equation is

1 + G(s)H(s) = 0

1.
or, s + 4s + 2s + 6 = 0
3 2

2.
or, s + 10s + 2 = 0
2

3.
or, s + 10s + 2 = 0
3 2
Example 8.3 Examine the stability of s + 5s + 10s + 3 = 0
3 3

using Routh’s method.

Solution

In first column there is no change of sign. Therefore, the

system is stable.
Example 8.4 Examine the stability of s + 2s + 3s+ 10 = 0
3 2

There are two changes of sign in the first column. Hence the
system is unstable.
Example 8.5 The characteristic equation of a system is
given below:
1. s4 + 21s3 + 21s2 + 36s+ 20 = 0 and
2. s5 + 6s4 + 3s3 + 2s2 + s + 1 = 0

Find whether the systems are stable or not using Routh–

Hurwitz criteria.
Solution
1. All the coefficients of F(s) = s4 + 21s3 + 21s2 + 36s + 20 = 0 are
positive and no coefficient is missing.
The Routh array is given below:

There is no change of sign in first column. Hence the system

is stable.
1. All the coefficients of F(s) = s5 + 6s3 + 3s3 + 2s2 + s + 1 = 0 are
positive and no coefficient is missing.
The Routh array is given below:

There are two changes of sign in first column. Hence the

system is unstable.
Example 8.6 Examine the stability of s + 2s + 4s + 8s +
5 4 3 2

3s + 1 = 0 using Routh’s criteria.

Solution
To remove the above difficulty the following two methods can
be used
Method 1:
1. Replace 0 by ε (a small number) and complete the array with ε.
2. Examine the sign change by taking ε 0.

The above example is solved below.

Therefore, sign is negative

Therefore, the array is given by

There are two changes of sign in first column and hence the
system is unstable.
Method 2:

Put
The polynomial becomes

s + 2s + 4s + 8s + 3s + 1 = 0
5 4 3 2

∴ Rouths array becomes

There are two changes of sign. Hence the system is unstable.
Example 8.7 Examine stability of s + 2s + 2s + 4s + 4s +
5 4 3 2

8 = 0 using Routh’s method.

Solution

To eliminate the above difficulty, form on equation by using

the co-efficients of arrow which is just above the row of zeros.
The equation is known as auxiliary equation.

∴ A(s) = 2s + 4s + 8
4 2

The Routh’s array becomes

There are two change of sign. The system is unstable.
Example 8.8 Examine the stability of s + 5s + 2s + 3s + 2
4 3 2

= 0 using Routh’s method. Find the number of roots lying in

the right half of the s-plane.
Solution

There are two changes of sign. Hence the system is unstable.

There are two roots in the right half of s-plane.
Example 8.9 Examine the stability of the system having
characteristic equation

s + s + 3s + 3s + 4s + 8 = 0
5 4 3 2
Solution

Hence Routh’s array fails.

Method 1:

Routh’s array becomes

There are two changes of sign. Hence the system is unstable.
There are two roots lying in the right half of s-plane
Method 2:

Put

s + 2s + 3s + 3s + 4s + 8 = 0
5 4 3 2

or 8Z + 3Z + 3Z + 3Z + Z + 1 = 0
5 4 3 2

Routh’s array becomes

There are two changes of sign. Hence the system is unstable.
Those are two roots lying in the right half of s-plane.
Example 8.10 Determine range of vales of ‘ K’ so that
system having characteristic equations will be stable

s (s + 2s + 3) (s + 2) + K = 0
2

Solution
The given characteristic equation is

s(s + 2s + 3) (s + 2) + K = 0
2

or, s(s + 4s + 7s + 6) + K = 0
3 2

or, s + 4s + 7s + 6s + K = 0
4 3 2

The Routh’s array becomes

The system will be stable if no changes of sign occurs in the
first column

∴ Range of K is 0 < K < 8.25.

Example 8.11 For a unity feedback system having forward
transfer function , determine range of values
of K, marginal value of K and frequency of sustained
oscillation.
Solution
The characteristic equation of the system is given by

or, s (1 + 0.6s) (1 + 0.4s) + K = 0

or, s (1 + s + 0.24s ) + K = 0
2

or, 0.24 s + s + s + K = 0
3 2

Routh’s array becomes

The system will be stable if no change of sign occurs in the
first column of Routh’s array
i.e., K>0
and 1 − 0.24 K > 0

∴ Range of values of K, 0 < K < 4.167

For marginally stable system

Routh’s array becomes

The auxiliary equation becomes

A(s) = s + K = 0
2

or, s =−K
2

or, s = − 4.167
2

∴ s = ±j 2.04
∴ Frequency of oscillations is 2.04 rad/sec
Example 8.12 A system shown in Fig. E8.1 has the
oscillation of 2.5 rad / sec. determine values of ‘ K ’ and ‘p’.
mar

There are no poles in R.H.P.

Fig. E8.1
Solution
Since the system oscillates, it is marginally stable. The
characteristic equation of the system becomess,
or, s + ps + 3s + 2 + Ks + 2K = 0
3 2

or, s + ps + (K + 3) s + 2 (K + 1) = 0
3 2

At marginal value of ‘ K’

Again, at this value of p

Here ω = 2.5 rad/sec.

Example 8.13 For a system having characteristic equation
2s + 4s + 1 = 0, find the following
4 2

1. number of roots in the left half of s-plane.

2. number of roots in the right half of s-sample.
3. number of roots on imaginary axis.

Use Routh Hurwitz criterion.

Solution
The system characteristic equation is given by

2s + 4s + 1 = 0
4 2

or, 2s + 0.s + 4s + 0.s + 1 = 0

4 3 2

Routh’s array is
∴ Auxilliary equation,

Since there is no change of sign and hence there are no roots

lying on right half of s-plane. Again solving A(s) = 0

Therefore,
1. number of roots lying in the left half of s-plane is 0
 2. number of roots lying in the right half of s-plane is 0
3. number of roots lying on the imaginary axis is 4.

Example 8.14 The open loop transfer function of a

feedback control system is given by G(s) H(s) =
Determine the stability of the system when K = 12 and find
the range of the values of Kfor stability.
Solution
1. The characteristic equation is

1 + G(s)H(s) = 0 = s + 6s + 10s + 8s + K
4 3 2

Routh array is formed below:

For stability 0 < K < 11.56. The closed loop system is unstable
for K = 12 because one of the element of the first column
becomes zero.
Example 8.15 Find the stability of a unit feedback system
having loop transfer function
 . Use Routh criterion.
Solution
The characteristic equation of the system is

The Routh’s array becomes

The system will be stable if

2 − T > 0 or, T < 2 Ans.

Example 8.16 s + 2s + 7s + 10s + 14s + 8s + 8= 0

6 5 4 3 2
Routh’s array becomes

There are no changes of sign and hence the system is stable.

Since there is a row of zero, system may be marginally stable
or unstable. To verify this, let us solve A(s) = 0
Since the roots on imaginary axis are not repeating, the
system is stable.
SIGNIFICANT POINTS

Stability If a linear time invariant system satisfies the

following conditions:
 even after excitation by a bounded input, output must be
bounded, and
 in the absence of input, output must be zero despite the initial
conditions, the system is said to be stable.

Absolute Stability The stability of the system with respect

to variation of parameters is known as absolute stability and it
said to be absolutely stable when it is stable for all values of
the parameters.
Relative Stability It measures the degree of stability and it
is a quantitive measure of how fast the transients die out in a
system.
Conditional Stability The stability of the system with
respect to its parameter variation is known as conditional
stability.
Hurwitz’s Criterion Hurwitz had given the sufficient
conditions for having all roots of the characteristic equation in
left half of s-plane.
The disadvantages of the Hurwitz’s criterion are:
1. It is very complicated and time consuming for solving higher
order systems.
 2. This method is unable to judge the exact number of poles located
in right half of s-plane.
3. It is very tough to predict marginal stability.

Routh–Hurwitz Criterion It determines the poles of a

characteristic equation with respect to the left and right half of
the s-plane without solving the equation.
Any change of sign in the first column of Routh’s array
indicates
1. the system is unstable, and
2. the number of changes of sign gives the number of roots lying in
the right half of s-plane
SIGNIFICANT POINTS

Stability If a linear time invariant system satisfies the following

conditions:

 even after excitation by a bounded input, output must be bounded, and

 in the absence of input, output must be zero despite the initial conditions, the system
is said to be stable.

Absolute Stability The stability of the system with respect to variation of

parameters is known as absolute stability and it said to be absolutely stable
when it is stable for all values of the parameters.

Relative Stability It measures the degree of stability and it is a

quantitive measure of how fast the transients die out in a system.

Conditional Stability The stability of the system with respect to its

parameter variation is known as conditional stability.

Hurwitz’s Criterion Hurwitz had given the sufficient conditions for

having all roots of the characteristic equation in left half of s-plane.

The disadvantages of the Hurwitz’s criterion are:

1. It is very complicated and time consuming for solving higher order systems.
2. This method is unable to judge the exact number of poles located in right half of s-
plane.
3. It is very tough to predict marginal stability.

Routh–Hurwitz Criterion It determines the poles of a characteristic

equation with respect to the left and right half of the s-plane without
solving the equation.

Any change of sign in the first column of Routh’s array indicates

1. the system is unstable, and

2. the number of changes of sign gives the number of roots lying in the right half of s-
plane

EXERCISES

1. Find the stability of the system by Routh’s criterion. The characteristic equation of the
system is

s4 + 6s3 + 26s2 + 56s + 82 = 0

[Ans.: Stable]

2. If the characteristic equation of the system is s3−− 4s2 + s + 10 = 0, find the stability of
the system by Routh’s criterion.
[Ans.: Unstable]

3. If the characteristic equation of the system is s6 + 4s5 + 3s4−16s2− 64s − 48 = 0, find

the stability of the system by Routh’s criterion. Also find the number of roots of this
equation with positive real part, zero real part and negative real part.

[Ans.: Unstable, Roots with positive

Real part is one, Roots with negative
Real part are three, Roots with zero
Real part are two]
 4. Determine range of values of K, marginal value of K and frequency of sustained
oscillations for unity feedback system having

[Ans.: 0 < K < 6.5, Kmar = 6.5, frequency of oscillations is 3.162 rad/sec.]

5. It a unity feedback system is marginally stable and oscillates with frequency 4

rad/sec., determine Kmar and q where

[Ans.: Kmar = 8, q = 0.25]

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. A positive feedback signal improves the performance of automatic control system.

1. false
2. true

2. For given system Routh’s array is given below:

The system is

0. marginally stable
1. unstable
2. stable
3. conditionally stable

3. The number of sign changes in the entries in the first column of Routh’s array denotes

0. the number of roots of characteristics polynomial in RHP

1. the number of open loop poles in RHP
2. the number of zeros the system in RHP
3. the number of open-loop zeros in RHP
 4. The transfer function of a system is . For the system to be
absolutely stable, the valid condition is

0. a3, a2, a1, a0 > 0 and a2 a1– a3 a0 < 0

1. a3, a2, a1, a0 > 0 and a2 a1– a3 a0 > 0
2. a3, a2, a1, a0 > 0 and a2 a1– a3 a0 = 0
3. a2, a0 > 0 and a3, a1 < 0

5. A closed loop system is shown below. Find the valid condition for which the system
will be very much underdamped.

Fig. 1

0. T1 = T2
1. T1 < T2
2. T1 > T2
3. T1 << T2

6. Routh’s array of characteristic equation is given below. The number of roots lying on
the right-hand-side of s-plane is:

0. (a) 0
1. (b) 1
2. (c) 3
 3. (d) 2

7. Routh’s array is given below

The auxiliary equation of this array is

0. 3s4 + 15s2 + 9 = 0
1. 2s4 + 18s2 + 15 = 0
2. 3s4 + 18s2 + 15 = 0
3. s4 + 9s2 + 15 = 0

8. If some pole of a system lies on the imaginary axis, the system is

0. absolutely stable
1. conditionally stable
2. marginally stable
3. unstable

9. The main cause of absolute instability is

0. error detector where the two signals are compared

1. parameters of the controlled system
2. parameters of the controlling system
3. none of these

10. The characteristic equation of a feed back control system is

s3 + Ks2 + 5s + 10 = 0

For the system to be critically stable, the value of K should be

0. 1
1. 2
2. 3
3. 4

11. The open loop transfer function of a unity feedback control system is
 The closed loop system will be stable if the value of K is

0. 2
1. 3
2. 4
3. 5

12. A feedback control system shown below is stable for all values of K, if

Fig. 2

0. T=0
1. T< 0
2. T > 1
3. 0 < t < 1

13. The characteristic equation of a unity feedback system is given by

s3 + s2 + 4s + 4 = 0

0. The system has one pole in the RH s-plane.

1. The system has no poles in the RH s-plane.
2. The system exhibits oscillatory nature
3. The system is asymptotically stable

14. The control system shown in the figure below has an internal rate feedback loop. The
closed loop system for open and closed conditions of switch will be respectively
 Fig. 3

0. unstable and stable

1. unstable and unstable
2. stable and unstable
3. stable and stable

15. For the block diagram shown below, the limiting values of K for stability of inner loop
is found to be X <K <Y. The overall system will be stable if and only if

0. 4 X <K < 4 Y
1. 2 X <K < 2 Y
2. X <K <Y
3.

Fig. 4

Answers

1. (b) 2. (b) 3. (a)

4. (b) 5. (d) 6. (d)

7. (c) 8. (c) 9. (a)

10. (b) 11. (d) 12. (c)

13. (c) 14. (a) 15. (d)