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Root Locus
Control Engineering and Instrumentation
BNJ 30703

Muhammad Farid bin Shaari, PhD.

Faculty of Engineering Technology
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
Outlines
At the end of this lecture, students are able to;
• Explain fundamental control system design.
• Define PID controller basics.
• Describe the function of root locus.
• Draw root locus.
Introduction
• Root locus is a method to predict the behavior of a closed loop
system as some parameter of the system (typically a gain) is
changed.
(https://lpsa.swarthmore.edu/Root_Locus/RootLocus.html)

• A graphical representation in the complex s-plane of the

possible locations of its closed-loop poles for varying values of
a certain system parameter.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_locus)

• A graphical method for examining how the roots of a system

change with variation of a certain system parameter, commonly
a gain within a feedback system.
(https://controlsystemsengineering.wordpress.com/2015/04/16/root-locus/)
Motivation
• Common process:
• Given a dynamic system
• Derive the model
• Determine system behaviour – how the system response?
• Actual application:
• Given a dynamic system with its response
• Determine the right control system to ensure the response behave as
we desired
• i.e: the mechanical system response is bouncy too much, how can we
reduce the bounce?
• Root locus is the method to help solving the problem.
Control System

Gain / K
Control system (PID)

P = Proportional
I = Integral
D = Derivative

https://www.controleng.com/articles/modern-updates-in-pid-control-tuning/
PID control

P : control variable should be adjusted proportionally to

the amount of error in the system.

I : accumulated error is then multiplied by Ki, the integral

coefficient, and added to the output

D: The derivative component is responsible for

compensating for sudden changes in the error.

JORDAN SCHAENZLE https://spin.atomicobject.com/2016/06/28/intro-pid-control/

Example : conventional
Given;
Example : conventional
 Root locus

No complex
no.

Complex no.
exist
Terminologies
• Branch : The lines obtained from the roots
• Asymptote : straight line of the curve that meet the
real axis.
• Centroid : A point where two lines of asymptote meet
at real axis
• Angle of departure : Angle of the curve departs from
the imaginary roots
• Break-in/away points : Point of locus emerge from in
between of two roots at the real axis.
Examples
Exercise 1

Determine the;
1. Roots/branch?
2. Asymptote?
3. Centroid?
4. Break-in or breakaway?
5. Is the system stable?
Exercise 2

Determine the;
1. Roots/branch? Poles/Zeros?
2. Imaginary roots?
3. Centroid?
4. Break-in or breakaway?
5. Is the system stable?
Exercise 3

Determine the;
1. Roots/branch? Poles/Zeros?
2. Imaginary roots?
3. Centroid?
4. Break-in or breakaway?
5. Is the system stable?
Exercise 4

Determine the;
1. Roots/branch? Poles/Zeros?
2. Imaginary roots?
3. Centroid?
4. Break-in or breakaway?
Rules to Draw Root Locus
• Rule 1 − Locate the open loop poles and zeros in the ‘s’ plane.
• Rule 2 − Find the number of root locus branches.

• Rule 3 − Identify and draw the real axis root locus branches.
Rules to Draw Root Locus
• Rule 4 − Find the centroid of asymptotes,

and the angle of asymptotes.

Where;
pj = sum of poles value
zi = sum of zeroes value
N = no. of poles
M = no. of zeroes
Example
Given;

Centroid of asymptote;

Angle of asymptote;
Rules to Draw Root Locus
• Rule 5 − Find the intersection points of root locus branches with
an imaginary axis.
• Locus crosses imaginary axis can be determined by using
Routh's method.
Rules to Draw Root Locus
• Rule 6 − Find Break-away and Break-in points.
❖ If there exists a real axis root locus branch between two open loop poles, then there will
be a break-away point in between these two open loop poles.
❖ If there exists a real axis root locus branch between two open loop zeros, then there will
be a break-in point in between these two open loop zeros

1. Write K in terms of characteristics equation.

2. Differentiate K and make it equal to zero (0). Substitute the values of s in the
equation.
3. The value of s for which the K value is positive are the break points.
Example
𝑠 2 + 2𝑠 + 2
𝑠 5 + 9𝑠 4 + 33𝑠 3 + 51𝑠 2 + 26𝑠
• N = s2 + 2 s + 2
• N'(s) = 2 s + 2
• D(s)= s5 + 9 s4 + 33 s3 + 51 s2 + 26 s
• D'(s)= 5 s4 + 36 s3 + 99 s2 + 102 s + 26
• N(s)D’(s) - N'(s)D(s) = 0
• 33 s6 + 26 s5 + 97 s4 + 204 s3 + 274 s2 + 204 s + 52 = 0.
• This polynomial has 6 roots at s;
• -2.7 ± 1.1j, - X (unaccepted)
• -0.65 ± 1.6j, - X (unaccepted)
• -1.4, - X (unaccepted)
• -0.46.
Rules to Draw Root Locus
• Rule 7 − Find the angle of departure and the angle of arrival
Exercise 1
𝐾
• Draw the root locus for: 𝐺 𝑠 𝐻 𝑠 =
𝑠 𝑠+1 𝑠+5

• Step 1: Determine the roots, poles, zeroes and branches.

• Poles = 0, -1, -5. (3 poles)
• Zeroes = none (0 zeroes)
• Step 2: Draw the branches
Exercise 1
• Step 3: Draw asymptote and asymptotes angles

−5 − 1 − 0 − 0
𝜎𝐴 = = −𝟐
3−0
Exercise 1
• Step 4: Determine the breakaway/break-in point and finally
draw the locus without crossing the asymptotes.

N=1
N’ = 0
D = s3 + 6s2 + 5s
D’ = 3s2 + 12s + 5
N.D’ – N’.D = 0
1(3s2 + 12s + 5) = 0
Find the roots; -3.527 and -0.472

Quadratic eq. calculator: (https://www.mathsisfun.com/quadratic-equation-solver.html)

References
• https://lpsa.swarthmore.edu/Root_Locus/RootLocusWhy.html
• https://x-engineer.org/graduate-engineering/signals-
systems/control-systems/find-transfer-function-system/
• https://x-engineer.org/graduate-engineering/modeling-
simulation/systems-modeling/mechanical-systems-modeling-
newton-dalembert-equations/
• https://www.zedlingsuspension.com/know-motorbikes-
suspension/
• https://www.tutorialspoint.com/control_systems/control_systems
_construction_root_locus.html
• https://spin.atomicobject.com/2016/06/28/intro-pid-control/