EIE2100

DC Circuits (Graph theory and

systematic analysis)
Contents:
• Graph theory
• Tree and cotree
• Basic cutsets and loops
• Independent Kirchhoff’s law equations
• Systematic analysis of resistive circuits
• Cutset-voltage method
• Loop-current method

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Graph and digraph
 Consists of branches and nodes
 Describes the interconnection of the elements

Graph

Digraph— arrows
indicate directions of
currents and
voltages’ polarities

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Sign convention
 Stick to the following sign convention

 Current direction — same as arrow direction

 Voltage polarity — arrow goes from + to – through the element

+V –

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Loop
 A loop is a set of branches of a graph forming a closed path.

 For example,
 branches a, c, d
 branches a, b, e, c

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Cutset
A cutset is a set of branches of a graph, which
upon removal will cause the graph to separate into
two disconnected sub-graphs.

Examples: branches f, b, d,c

SPECIAL CASE
Branches emerging from a node form a cutse t

always a cutset

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Kirchhoff’s laws again
KVL — same as before.

KCL — more generally stated in terms of cutset

with appropriately chosen directions

Usually the cutset separates the graph into two subgraphs. We may say that the
sum of currents going from one sub-graph to the other is zero.

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 KCL
The following are all KCL equations
for the circuit below:

–Ia + Ib + Id = 0
Ic + Id + Ib + If = 0
Ic + Id + Ie = 0

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Problem: Find Iy
Usual way:
Find Iz
Then find Ix
Then find Iw
Then we get Iy
Iw
Alternative way:
Using KCL for an
appropriate
cutset, the
problem is as
simple as
Iy + 5 + 3 = 0!

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Tree and co-tree
A tree is a set of branches of a graph which
contains no loop. Moreover, including one more
branch to this set will create a loop.

Thus, a tree is a maximal set of branches that

contains no loop.

After a tree is chosen, the remaining branches

form a co-tree.
— tree
…. co-tree

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Basic relations
Let

n = number of nodes
b = number of branches
t = number of tree branches
l = number of co-tree branches

We have, for all planar graphs,

t=n–1

l=b– t = b–n+1

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Basic cutsets
A basic cutset is a cutset containing only one
tree branch.
So, there are t basic cutsets in a graph.

In this example, the basic cutsets are

{ 1, 3, 6 }
{ 2, 3, 5 }
{ 4, 5, 6 }

tree branches

The importance of basic cutsets is the

formulation of independent KCL equations:

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Basic loops
A basic loop is a loop containing only one co-tree
branch.
So, there are l basic loops in a graph.

In this example, the basic loops are

{ 1, 2, 3 }
{ 2, 4, 5 }
{ 1, 4, 6 }

co-tree branches

The importance of basic loops is the formulation of

independent KVL equations:

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Independent KCL/KVL equations
A different choice of tree gives a different set of basic cutsets and basic
loops.

The set of independent KCL and KVL equations found is not unique.

But any set of independent KCL and KVL equations gives essentially the
same information about the circuit. So, it doesn’t matter which tree is
chosen.

Once a tree is chosen, a set of independent KCL and KVL equations is found.
Any other KCL or KVL equation is derivable from the independent set. That
means, we DON’T NEED to find more than t KCL or b–t KVL
equations, since anything more than the basic set is redundant and
a waste of effort!

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Matrix representations
There are three fundamental matrices representing the graph of a given
circuit:

1. Node-incidence matrix (A-matrix)

2. Basic cutset matrix (Q-matrix)
3. Basic loop matrix (B-matrix)

They are very useful in computer-aided systematic analysis.

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Node-incidence matrix (A-matrix)
The A-matrix describes the way a circuit is connected. It is very important in
computer simulation.

The columns in a A-matrix correspond to the branches; and the rows

correspond to the nodes.

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Basic cutset matrix (Q-matrix)
The Q-matrix describes the way the basic
cutset is chosen.
Each column corresponds to a branch
(b columns).
Each row corresponds to a basic cutset
(t rows).

Construction
For each row:
Put a “+1” in the entry corresponding
to the cutset tree branch.
Put a “0” in the entry corresponding to
other tree branches.
Put a “+1” or “–1” in the entry
corresponding to each cutset co-tree
branch; “+” if it is consistent with the
tree branch direction and “–”
otherwise. Q = [ 1 | Q1 ]
Dr. Lawrence Cheung
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 Basic loop matrix (B-matrix)
The B-matrix describes the way the basic
loop is chosen.
Each column corresponds to a branch
(b columns).
Each row corresponds to a basic loop
(b–t rows).

Construction
For each row:
Put a “+1” in the entry corresponding
to the loop co-tree branch.
Put a “0” in the entry corresponding to
other co-tree branches.
Put a “+1” or “–1” in the entry
corresponding to each loop tree
branch; “+” if it is consistent with the
co-tree branch direction and “–”
otherwise. B = [ B1 | 1 ]
Dr. Lawrence Cheung
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Relationship between Q and B

Q = [ 1 | Q1 ] B = [ B1 | 1 ]

It is always true that Q1 = – B1T or B1 = – Q1T

Thus, once we have Q, we know B, and vice versa.

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Applications
The basic cutset and loop matrices will be used
to formulate independent Kirchhoff’s law
equations. This will give much more efficient
solution to circuit analysis problems.

Mesh —enhanced— General loop analysis

Nodal —enhanced— General cutset analysis

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Recall: mesh analysis
Mesh analysis
— good for circuits without current sources

Problem occurs when circuits have a current source: WASTE OF EFFORT!

WHY?

The unknowns are actually partially known!

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Redundancy in mesh analysis
USUAL MESH ANALYSIS:

Obviously if we define the unknowns according

to the usual mesh-analysis.

We have 2 equations with 2 unknowns.

This is UNNECESSARY because the current

source actually gives the current values
indirectly! I1 – I2 = 1A.

CLEVER METHOD:

We define unknowns such that the 1A source is

exactly one of the unknowns. Then, we save an
equation!

So, we have 1 equation with 1 unknown.

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Another example

Usual mesh assignment:

CLEVER METHOD:

We define unknowns such that the 1A source

and 2A source are exactly the unknowns. Then,
we save two equations!

So, we have 0 equation with 0 unknown.

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Question

How to make the clever method a general method

suitable for all cases?

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Redundancy in nodalanalysis
USUAL NODAL ANALYSIS:

Obviously if we define the unknowns according

to the usual nodal analysis, V1, V2 and V3
+ + +
we have 3 equations with 3 unknowns. V1 V2 V3
– – –
This is UNNECESSARY because the voltage
source actually gives the voltage values
indirectly! V1 – V2 = 2V.

CLEVER METHOD:

We define unknowns such that the 2V source is

exactly one of the unknowns. Then, we save an + V1 – +
+ V3
equation! Here, we use branch voltages.
V2 –
So, we have 2 (cutset) equations with 2 –
unknowns.

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Another example

+ + +
USUAL NODAL ANALYSIS:
V1 V2 V3
– – –

CLEVER METHOD:

We define unknowns such that the sources

+ V1 – + V2 +
overlap with unknown branches. Then, we save
– V3
three equations! Here, we use branch voltages.
–
So, we have 0 equation with 0 unknown.

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Same question

How to make the clever method a general method

suitable for all cases?

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Key to systematic methods
Graph theory

•Tree / basic cutset KCL equations

•Co-tree / basic loop KVL equations

The first step is

define an appropriate tree!

Hint: where should we put all the voltage sources?

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Standard tree
Take branches into the tree according to the
following priority:

All voltage-source branches

All resistor branches that do not close a path

The remaining all go to the co-tree.

The co-tree will have all the current sources.

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Standard tree

number of nodes n = 4
number of branches b = 5
number of tree branches t = n–1 = 3

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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Two systematic approaches
Once the tree is chosen, we have two possible
approaches to solve the problem:

1. Cutset-voltage approach (c.f. nodal)

Unknowns are tree voltages

Set up KCL equations based on basic cutsets

2. Loop-current approach (c.f. mesh)

Unknowns are co-tree (link) currents

Set up KVL equations based on basic loops

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Cutset-voltage
1
approach
Step 1:
+ Start with the digraph. Choose a tree. Define
2S 1S
V1 unknowns as the tree voltages. Label all voltages.
– 1 3
2A Step 2:
1V Write the KCL equations for each basic cutset
4 2S (except those corresponding to voltage
–+ sources)

2 – 5 Cutset 1:
V2 2S Cutset 2:
+ +
–
1S 
3V

2 

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Loop-current approach
Step 1:
4 2Ω
Start with the digraph. Choose a tree. Define
unknowns as the co-tree currents. Label all currents.

1Ω Step 2:
Write the KVL equations for each basic loop
3 2 3Ω (except those corresponding to current sources)
+
7V –
Loop 1:
7A Loop 2:
1
2Ω 5 1Ω

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Choice of method
Cutset-voltage method: Loop-current method:

Equations to be solved Equations to be solved

= t – (number of voltage sources) = b – t – (number of current sources)

= n – 1 – (number of voltage sources) = b – n + 1 – (number of current

sources)

CHOOSE THE SIMPLEST!

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Question!!
So far, we have only focused on finding

EITHER the tree voltages

OR the co-tree currents

How about other branch currents and voltages?

Can you verify the following:

Once we know either the tree voltages or the co-tree currents, we can
derive everything else in the circuit.

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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 Sherlock Holmes’ search
Cutset-voltage method:
voltage current
Tree: Voltage sources
? KCL B-cutset
Resistors ? Ohm’s law
Co-tree: Resistors ? KVL B-loop ? Ohm’s law
Current sources ? KVL B-loop

Loop-current method: voltage current

Tree: Voltage sources
? ? KCL B-cutset
Resistors
? Ohm’s law ? KCL B-cutset
Co-tree: Resistors ? Ohm’s law
Current sources ? KVL B-loop
Dr. Lawrence Cheung
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Conclusion
 Graph theory
 Take advantage of topology
 Cutset-voltage approach
 Aim to find all tree voltages initially
 Loop-current approach
 Aim to find all cotree currents initially

Dr. Lawrence Cheung

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