Stability in State Space ELEC304-Alper Erdogan 1–1

Lecture 1
Stability in State Space

• Given a state space description

ẋ(t) = Ax(t) + Bu(t)
y(t) = Cx(t) + Du(t)
for a system, the transfer function is given by
Adj(sI − A)
−1
H(s) = C(sI − A) B + D = C +D
det(sI − A)
• Therefore, the poles of H(s) are uncancelled
eigenvalues of A.
• Note that the eigenvalues of A appear as exponents
in the solution of state x(t) (although some of them
may not appear at the output due to pole-zero
cancellations).
• As a result for a given (A, B, C, D) to be stable
(internal stability), all eigenvalues of A should be
stable.
Stability in State Space ELEC304-Alper Erdogan 1–2

Example

• Consider the example

   
−2 0   1 
ẋ(t) = +


x(t) 
 u(t)

0 3 2
 

 
y(t) = 1 0 x(t)
where
– Eigenvalues of A are −2(stable) and 3(unstable).
– Output is equal to the first state, which is
decoupled from the second state: y(t) = x1(t).
• The transfer function of this system:
Adj(sI−A) B
C z
 }| { z }| {
z
 }| {s − 3 0   1 
1 0


0 s+2 2
  

H(s) =
(s − 3)(s
| {z
+ 2)}
det(sI−A)
(s − 3) 1
= =
(s − 3)(s + 2) s + 2
⇒ The transfer function has only a stable pole (-2) !
(after the pole-zero cancellation).
Stability in State Space ELEC304-Alper Erdogan 1–3

• Now lets look at the states

Z
t
x1(t) = x1(0)e + 0 e−2(t−τ )u(τ )dτ (= y(t))
−2t
Z
t
x2(t) = x2(0)e + 2 0 e3(t−τ )u(τ )dτ
3t

So the first state and output are fine, however, x2(t)

will grow unbounded!. As a result,
1
– The transfer function H(s) = s+2 is input/output
stable.
– Its state space realization given above is
unstable.(internally unstable realization of a stable
transfer function).

x1(t) y(t)
+ Integrator 1

u(t) -2

2 + Integrator x2(t)

• We can actually provide many stable state-space

descriptions for the same system, one of which is
Stability in State Space ELEC304-Alper Erdogan 1–4

ẋ(t) = −2x(t) + u(t)

y(t) = x(t)