SYSTEM THEORY

VI

TRANSIENT-RESPONSE ANALYSIS AND STEADY-STATE ERROR ANALYSIS

1. The Routh's Stability Criterion

1.1. Approach
1. The Rooth's stability criterion applies to systems with the closed-loop transfer function of the form

m
⋅ s m −i
B(s ) ∑
b i
G (s ) = = i =0
, n>m (1.)
A(s ) n
n−k
∑a k ⋅s
k =0

2. The criterion enables to determine the closed-loop poles of G (s ) that lie in the right-half complex plane
without having to factor the polynomial.

1.2. The Procedure in Routh's Stability Criterion

1. Write the characteristic equation associated to the polynomial in s:

a0 ⋅ s n + a1 ⋅ s n −1 + a2 ⋅ s n − 2 + K + an = 0 (2.)

2. If any of the coefficients are zero or negative in the presence of at least one positive coefficient, the
system is not stable. There are roots with imaginary parts and zero or positive real parts.

3. If all coefficients are positive, arrange the coefficients of the polynomial into rows and columns
according to the following pattern:

The coefficients into the previous table are given by

the following relations.

a0 a2
1
b1 = − ⋅
a1
a1 a3

a0 a4
1
b2 = − ⋅
a1
a1 a5

a0 a6
1
b3 = − ⋅
a1
a1 a7

Fig. 1: The Routh's Criterion Table Pattern.

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a1 a3 a1 a5
1 1
c1 = − ⋅ c2 = − ⋅ K
b1 b1
b1 b2 b1 b3

b1 b2
1
d1 = − ⋅ K
c1
c1 c2

g 1 = e2

4. The number of roots of the equation (2.) with positive real parts is equal to the number of changes in
sign of the coefficients in the first column of the array.

1.3. Special Cases

1. A first-column term in any row is zero but the remaining terms are not null or there is no remaining
term.

The zero term is replaced by a very small positive number ε and the rest of the array is evaluated.

a. If the sign of the coefficient above the zero term is the same as that below it then there is a pair of
imaginary roots.

b. If the sign of the coefficient above the zero term is opposite than the sign below the zero term then
there is a pair roots with positive real parts.

2. All coefficients in any derived row are zero (roots with equal magnitudes lying opposite in the complex
s plane).

The evaluation of the array can be continued by forming an auxiliary polynomial with the coefficients of
the last row and the coefficients of the derivative of this polynomial in the last row.

2. Routh's Stability Criterion Examples

2.1. Example No. 1 (division by 2)

Given a system with the following characteristic equation:

s4 + 2 ⋅ s3 + 3 ⋅ s2 + 4 ⋅ s + 5 = 0 (3.)

Examine the stability of the given system.

Proof:

The Routh table is given in Figure 2.

1 3 1 5 1 2
1 1 1
b1 = − ⋅ =1 b2 = − ⋅ =5 c1 = − ⋅ = −3
1 1 2 1 1 0 1 1 5

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Fig. 2: The Routh Table for the Example 1 Fig. 3: The Routh Table for the Example 2.

1 5
1
d1 = − ⋅ =5
−3 −3 0

Conclusion: the number of changes in sign of the coefficients in the first column is two. Follows there are
two roots with positive real parts, thus the system is unstable.

Remark: To prove this result see the true values of the roots: s1,2 = 0 ,2878 ± j ⋅ 1,4161 and
s2 ,3 = −1,2878 ± j ⋅ 0 ,8579 .

2.2. Example No. 2 (special case 1, stable system)

Given a system with the following characteristic equation:

s3 + 2 ⋅ s2 + s + 2 = 0 (4.)

Examine the stability of the given system.

Proof:

The Routh table is given in Figure 3.

1 1
1
b1 = − ⋅ =0 →ε+ c1 = 1
1 1 1

Conclusion: the sign of the coefficient above the zero is the same as that below it. There are a pair of
imaginary roots thus the system is at the limit of stability.

Remark: The true values of the roots are: s1 = −2 and s2 ,3 = ± j .

2.3. Example No. 3 (special case 1, unstable system)

Given a system with the following characteristic equation:

s3 − 3 ⋅ s + 2 = 0 (5.)

Examine the stability of the given system.

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Proof:

The Routh table is given in Figure 4.

1 −3
1 2
b1 = − ⋅ = −3 −
ε+ ε+ 2 ε+

Conclusion: there are two sign changes of the coefficients in

the first column ⇒ two roots with positive real parts, unstable
system.

Remark: The true values of the roots are: s1 = −2 and Fig. 4: The Routh Table for the
Example 3.
s2 ,3 = 1 .

2.4. Example No. 4 (special case 2, all coefficients in a derived row are zero)
Given a system with the following characteristic equation:

s 5 + 2 ⋅ s 4 + 24 ⋅ s 3 + 48 ⋅ s 2 − 25 ⋅ s − 50 = 0 (6.)

Examine the stability of the given system.

Proof:

The Routh table is given in Figure 5.

1 24 1 − 25
1 1
b1 = − ⋅ =0 b2 = − ⋅ =0
1 1 24 1 1 − 25

P(s ) = s 4 + 24 ⋅ s 2 − 25

P' (s ) = 4 ⋅ s 3 + 48 ⋅ s

Conclusion: the original equation has one root with positive real part, unstable system.

Fig. 5: The Routh Table for the Example 4.

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Remark: The true values of the roots are: s1 = 1 , s2 ,3 = ±5 ⋅ j , s4 = −1 , and s5 = −2 .

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