The root locus technique

1. Obtain closed-loop TF and char eq d(s) = 0

2. Re-arrange terms in d(s) by collecting those
proportional to parameter of interest, and those
not; then divide eq by terms not proportional to
para. to get n1 ( s )
K 1  0
d1 ( s )
this is called the root locus equation
3. Roots of n1(s) are called open-loop zeros,
mark them with “o” in s-plane;
Roots of d1(s) are called open-loop poles,
mark them with “x” in s-plane
4. The “o” and “x” marks divide the real axis into
several segments.
If a segment has an odd total number of marks
to its right, it is part of the root locus. High light
it.
If a segment has an even total number of
marks, then it’s not part of root locus.
For the high lighted segments, mark out going
arrows near a pole (“x”), and incoming arrows
near a zero (“o”).
5. Asymptotes:
#asymptotes = # “x” - # “o”
angles:
1 asymp: 180; 3 asymp: 180; +-60
2 asymp: +-90; 4 asymp: +-45; +-135

Meeting place on the real axis at:


 poles   zeros
nm
6. Imaginary axis crossing point:
– From d(s) = 0
– Form Routh Table
– Set one row = 0
– Solve for K
– Use the row above to aux eq A(s)=0
– Solution gives imag. axis crossing point +-j
– System oscillates at frequency w when K is
equal to the value above
7. When two branches meet and split, you
have breakaway points. They are double
roots. Use these to solve for s and K:
d1 ( s)n1 ( s )  n1 ( s )d1( s )
n1 ( s )
K 
d1 ( s )

8. Departure angles at complex pole p: p

Arrival anglesat complex zero z: z
m p     angle( p  z k )   angle( p  pk )
k k

m z     angle( z  z k )   angle( z  pk )
k k
Char. poly.
 
d s   ss  5 s 2  2s  2 s  6  K s  3  0
s3
K 1  0
 
s s  5 s  2 s  2 s  6
2

num: s+3 , zeros: -3

den: s(s+5)(s2+2s+2)(s+6) ,
poles:0, -5,-6,-
1±j1
Asymptotes: #: n – m = 4

 p   z (0  5 angles:

 6  1  j ±45º,  3
1  j ) ±135º
nm 4
 2.5
Two branches coming out of -5 and -6 are heading to each other, and will
and break away.

Without actually calculating, we know the breakaway point is somewhere

between -5 and -6.

Since there are more dominant poles (poles that are closer to the jw axis),
we don’t need to be bothered with computing the actual numbers for the
break away point.

Departure angle at p = -1+j is

dep _ p   angle( p  zi )   angle( p  pi )  

 angle(1  j  3)  angle(1  j  0)  angle(1  j  1  j )
 angle(1  j  5)  angle(1  j  4)  
 tan 1 (1 / 2)  tan 1 (1)   / 2  tan 1 (1 / 4)  tan 1 (1 / 5)  
angle(-1+j+3)-angle(-1+j+0)-angle(-1+j+5)-angle(-1+j+4)+pi/2
ans = -0.8885 rad = -50.9061 deg
 rlocus([1 3], conv([1 2 2 0],[1 11 30]))
Root Locus

2
Imaginary Axis

-2

-4

-6

-8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4
Real Axis

Hand sketch is close but departure angle is wrong!

Also notice how I used “conv”.

Example: motor control

The closed-loop T.F. from θr to θ is:

2K P
Gc.l . s   3
s  10s 2  4  2 K D s  2 K P
What is the open-loop T.F.?
The o.l. T.F. of the system is:
2K P
s 3  10 s 2  4  2 K D s

But for root locus, it depends on which

parameter we are varying.
1. If KP varies, KD fixed, from char. poly.
d s   s 3  10 s 2  4  2 K D s  2 K P
1
2K P 3 1  0
s  10 s  4  2 K D s
2
 The o.l. T.F. for KP-root-locus is the
system o.l. T.F.
In general, this is the case whenever the
parameter is in the forward loop.

2. If KD is para, KP is fixed
From
d s   s 3  10s 2  4  2 K D s  2 K P  0
2s
2K D 3 2
1  0
s  10 s  4 s  2 K
K         P
G s 
More examples
1. ss  1s  2  K  0
1
K 1  0
ss  1s  2
ns   1, d s   s 3  3s 2  2 s

No finite zeros, o.l. poles: 0,-1,-2

Real axis:  ,2 &  1,0 are on R.L.
Asymp: #: 3
1 2  0
  1
3

 e :  ,
3
j -axis crossing:
char. poly:s 3
 3 s 2
 2s  K
s3 :1 2
s2 : 3 K
s1 : K36
s0 : K
K 6
set 3
0 K 6
s 2 : As   3s 2  K  3s 2  6
 3s 2  2  s1, 2   j 2
 at K  6, R.L. cross j - axis at  j 2
Example: ss  2s 2  2s  2 K  0
1
K 1  0

ss  2  s  2 s  2
2

n1 s   1, no zeros

d1 s   ss  2  s 2  2 s  2 
poles : 0 ,-2 ,-1  j1

Real axis:
(-2,0) seg. is on R.L.
 3
# Asymp  4,   1 e   ,
4 4
No need to compute dep for 0 or  2
For  1  j ,
dep   i   i  
   3 
     
4 2 4 
  
from from from
-2 -1 j 0



2

 R.L. going vert. down from  1  j

By symmetry, R.L. going vert. up from  1  j
Break away point: n1 s   1 so d1' s   0
d1 s   s 4  4s 3  6s 2  4s
d1 ' s   4s 3  12s 2  12s  4

 4 s 3  3s 2  3s  1 
 4s  1
3

 s  1 is triple root for d1 ' s   0

it is quadruple root for char. poly.
 4 R.L. branches meet at s  1 and split out.
 4 branches in and 4 out,
dividing 360 into 45 each.
j -axis crossing:
char. poly: s 4
 4 s 3
 6 s 2
 4s  K
s 4 :1 6 K
s 3 : 41 41
s 2 : 21 KK
2
K
s1 : 1 
2
K
s0 :
2
K
set 1   0  K  2
2 K
s : As   s   s 2  1  0
2 2

2 sj
 at K  2, R.L. cross j - axis at  j
Example: in prev. ex., change s+2 to s+3
1
K 1  0

ss  3 s  2s  2
2

poles : 0,3,1  j
no zeros
Real axis :  3,1 seg is on R.L.

Asymptotes : # 4
 3 1 1  5
 
4 4
 3
 e :  ,
4 4
dep for 0,3 : no need.
dep for 1  j
dep  - i  
 -1  1   3 
  tan       
 2 2 4 
 -1  1 
   tan  
4 2
dep for  1  j is neg of by symmetry.
Break away points : d s   0
d s   4s 3  15s 2  16s  6  0
One solution at s   2.6 on R.L.
?
j -axis crossing:
char. poly: s 4
 5 s 3
 8 s 2
 6s  K
s 4 :1 8 K
s3 : 5 6
2 34
s : K
5
34
1  6  5K
s : 5
34
5
0
s :K
set 345  6  5K  0  K  346
55

s 2 : 345 s 2  34556  0  s   j 6
5
346 6
 at K  25
, R.L. cross j - axis at  j 5