CHAPTER 6

STABILITY
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CONTROL PRINCIPLES

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 Learning Outcome
After completing Chapter 6, the student will be able to:

• make and interpret a basic Routh table to determine the

stability of a system.

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 Stability Definitions
Definitions of stability:
• A linear, time-invariant system is stable if the natural
response approaches zero as time approaches infinity.
• A linear, time-invariant system is unstable if the natural
response grows without bound as time approaches infinity.
• A linear, time-invariant system is marginally stable if the
natural response neither decays nor grows but remains
constant or oscillates as time approaches infinity.

More definitions:
• A system is stable if every bounded input yields a bounded
output.
• A system is unstable if any bounded input yields an
unbounded output.
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 Stability Definitions
(Cont.)
Stable system

Left half-plane
poles location Natural response
approaches zero

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 Stability Definitions
(Cont.)
Unstable system

Natural response
Right half-plane grows without bound
poles location

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 Stability Definitions
(Cont.)
Marginally stable system

Natural response
neither decays nor
grows
Imaginary plane
poles location

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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion
Problem: Consider an equivalent closed-loop system as
following.

Stable or unstable system? -> Use Routh-Hurwitz Criterion

Routh-Hurwitz Criterion:
• A method that yields stability information without the need
to solve for the closed-loop system poles.
• Two steps:
1. Create Routh table
2. Interpret Routh table
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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion
#1. Create Routh table

Initial Routh table

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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion (Cont.)
#1. Create Routh table (Cont.)
Complete Routh table

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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion (Cont.)
#2. Interpret Routh table
• The number of roots of the polynomial that are in the
right half-plane is equal to the number of sign changes in
the first column.
• In other words, any sign changes exist implies the
existence of right-half plane poles, thus the closed-loop
system is unstable.

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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion (Cont.)
Example 6.1: Determine the stability of the following system.

Solution:
Find the closed-loop transfer function.

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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion (Cont.)
Solution (Cont.):
Create and interpret Routh table.

1. +ve to -ve

2. -ve to +ve

First column: Two sign changes -> two right half-plane poles,
thus the closed-loop system is unstable.
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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion (Cont.)
Special Case #1: Zero in the First Column (Solution 1)

Example 6.2 Determine the stability of the closed-loop transfer

function.

Solution #1:
Create Routh table:

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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion (Cont.)
Solution #1 (Cont.):
Assign the value of 𝜖 and check the sign

First column: Two sign changes -> two right half-

plane poles, thus the closed-loop system is unstable.
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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion (Cont.)
Special Case #1: Zero in the First Column (Solution 2)

Example 6.2 Determine the stability of the closed-loop transfer

function.

Solution #2:
Write the polynomial of the denominator in reverse order

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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion (Cont.)
Solution #2 (Cont.):

First column: Two sign changes -> two right half-

plane poles, thus the closed-loop system is unstable.
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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion (Cont.)
Special Case #2: Zero in the Entire Row

Example 6.3 Determine the stability of the closed-loop transfer

function.

Solution:
Create Routh table
Formed polynomial:

0 0 0

Differentiate the polynomial:

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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion (Cont.)
Solution (Cont.):
Complete and interpret Routh table

First column: No sign change -> no right half-plane

pole, thus the closed-loop system is stable.
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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion (Cont.)
Example 6.4: Find the range of gain 𝐾, for the system below
that will cause the system to be stable.

Solution:
The closed-loop transfer function:

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 Routh-Hurwitz Stability
Criterion (Cont.)
Solution (Cont.):
Create Routh table

For the closed-loop system to be stable, no sign changes is

allowed for the first column.
Since “1” and “18” are positive, then
1386−𝐾
𝐾 > 0 and > 0 or 𝐾 > 1386.
18
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