Root Locus sketching rules

Wednesday
• Rule 1: # branches = # poles
• Rule 2: symmetrical about the real axis
• Rule 3: real-axis segments are to the left of an odd number of real-
axis finite poles/zeros
• Rule 4: RL begins at poles, ends at zeros
Today
• Rule 5: Asymptotes: angles, real-axis intercept
• Rule 6: Real-axis break-in and breakaway points
• Rule 7: Imaginary axis crossings (transition to instability)
Next week
• Using the root locus: analysis and design examples

2.004 Fall ’07 Lecture 18 – Friday, Oct. 19

Poles and zeros at infinity
T (s) has a zero at infinity if T (s → ∞) → 0.
T (s) has a pole at infinity if T (s → ∞) → ∞.

Example

K
KG(s)H(s) = .
s(s + 1)(s + 2)

Clearly, this open—loop transfer function has three poles, 0, −1, −2. It has no
finite zeros.
For large s, we can see that
K
KG(s)H(s) ≈ 3 .
s
So this open—loop transfer function has three zeros at infinity.

2.004 Fall ’07 Lecture 18 – Friday, Oct. 19

 Root Locus sketching rules

• Rule 5: Asymptotes: angles and real-axis intercept

P P
jω finite poles − finite zeros
σa =
#finite poles − #finite zeros
j3
(2m + 1)π
s-plane θa =
Asymptote #finite poles − #finite zeros
j2
σa m = 0, ±1, ±2, . . .
j1

Asymptote θa
X X X X σ
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2

-j1 In this example, poles = {0, −1, −2, −4},

zeros = {−3} so

-j2 [0 + (−1) + (−2) + (−4)] − [(−3)] 4

Asymptote σa = =−
4−1 3
½ ¾
-j3
(2m + 1)π π 5π
Nise Figure 8.12 θa = = , π,
4−1 3 3
Figure by MIT OpenCourseWare.

2.004 Fall ’07 Lecture 18 – Friday, Oct. 19

 Root Locus sketching rules

• Rule 6: Real axis break-in and breakaway points

For each s = σ on a real—axis
jω
segment of the root locus,
j4

maxK for minK for 1

this real—axis j3
this real—axis KG(σ)H(σ) = −1 ⇒ K = − (1)
segment G(σ)H(σ)
j2 segment

j1 Real—axis break—in & breakaway points

-σ1 σ2 are the real values of σ for which
X X σ
-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5

-j1
dK(σ)
= 0,
dσ
-j2

-j3
where K(σ) is given by (1) above.
Alternatively, we can solve

Figure by MIT OpenCourseWare.

X 1 X 1
= .
Nise Figure 8.13
σ + zi σ + pi
for real σ.

2.004 Fall ’07 Lecture 18 – Friday, Oct. 19

 Root Locus sketching rules

• Rule 6: Real axis break-in and breakaway points

In this example,

K(s − 3)(s − 5)
KG(s)H(s) =
(s + 1)(s + 2)

jω
so on the real—axis segments we have

j4 (σ + 1)(σ + 2) σ 2 + 3σ + 2
K(σ) = − =− 2
maxK for (σ − 3)(σ − 5) σ − 8σ + 15
j3 minK for
this real—axis this real—axis Taking the derivative,
segment j2 segment
dK 11σ 2 − 26σ − 61
=− 2
j1
dσ (σ 2 − 8σ + 15)
-σ1 σ2 and setting dK/dσ = 0 we find
X X σ
-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5
σ1 = −1.45 σ2 = 3.82
-j1

Alternatively, poles = {−1, −2},

-j2
zeros = {+3, +5} so we must solve
-j3 1 1 1 1
+ = + ⇒
σ−3 σ−5 σ+1 σ+2
Figure by MIT OpenCourseWare. 11σ 2 − 26σ − 61 = 0.

Nise Figure 8.13 This is the same equation as before.

2.004 Fall ’07 Lecture 18 – Friday, Oct. 19

 Root Locus sketching rules

• Rule 7: Imaginary axis crossings

jω If s = jω is a closed—loop pole
j3
on the imaginary axis, then
s-plane KG(jω)H(jω) = −1 (2)
Asymptote j2 system response
contains undamped
terms at this point
The real and imaginary parts of (2)
j1 provide us with a 2 × 2 system
Asymptote of equations, which we can solve
X X X X σ for the two unknowns K and ω
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
(i.e., the critical gain beyond which
-j1 the system goes unstable, and the
oscillation frequency at the critical gain.)
-j2
Asymptote
Note: Nise suggests using the Ruth—
-j3 Hurwitz criterion for the same purpose.
Since we did not cover Ruth—Hurwitz,
Figure by MIT OpenCourseWare. we present here an alternative
but just as effective method.
2.004 Fall ’07 Lecture 18 – Friday, Oct. 19
 In this example,
Root Locus sketching rules K(s + 3)
KG(s)H(s) =
s(s + 1)(s + 2)(s + 4)
Ks + 3K
• Rule 7: Imaginary axis crossings =
s + 7s3 + 14s2 + 8s
4
⇒

jω jKω + 3K
KG(jω)H(jω) = .
ω − j7ω 3 − 14ω 2 + j8ω
4

j3 Setting KG(jω)H(jω) = −1,

s-plane −ω 4 + j7ω 3 + 14ω 2 − j(8 + K)ω − 3K = 0.
Asymptote j2 system response
contains undamped Separating real and imaginary parts,
terms at this point ½
−ω 4 + 14ω 2 − 3K = 0,
j1
7ω 3 − (8 + K)ω = 0.
Asymptote
In the second equation, we can discard the
X X X X σ trivial solution ω = 0. It then yields
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
8+K
ω2 = .
-j1 7
Substituting into the first equation,
µ ¶2 µ ¶
-j2 8+K 8+K
Asymptote − + 14 − 3K =0⇒
7 7
K 2 + 65K − 720 = 0.
-j3
Of the two solutions K = −74.65, K = 9.65 we can
Figure by MIT OpenCourseWare. discard the negative one (negative
p feedback ⇒ K > 0).
Thus, K = 9.65 and ω = (8 + 9.65)/7 = 1.59.

2.004 Fall ’07 Lecture 18 – Friday, Oct. 19