Week 1 Exercise Questions and Answers Y3 2011-12

1. Calculate the partial fractions of the following fractions:

Solution:
6s 14

a.

s 4s 3

6 s 14
( s 1)( s 3)

Two roots s=-1, s=-3 and hence they are real and distinct. So this question
is kind of partial fraction expansion of real and distinct roots,
6 s 14
A
B
A( s 3) B ( s 1) ( A B ) s 3 A B

( s 1)( s 3) s 1 s 3
( s 1)( s 3)
( s 1)( s 3)

A B 6
3 A B 14

A 4 and

B2

Thus

6 s 14
2

s 4s 3

4
2

s 1 s 3

b. Three roots s=-1, s= -1/2 and s=-1/3 and hence they are real and distinct.
So this question is kind of partial fraction expansion of real and distinct
roots,

13s 2 11s 2
A
B
C
A(3s 1)( 2 s 1) B ( s 1)(3s 1) C ( s 1)( 2 s 1)

( s 1)( 2 s 1)(3s 1)
s 1 2 s 1 3s 1
( s 1)( 2 s 1)(3s 1)

Evaluating the above equations with s=-0.5 gives B= 1.

Evaluating the above equations with s=-1/3 gives C= -1.
Evaluating the above equations with s=-1 gives A=2.
Thus
13s 2 11s 2
2
1
1

( s 1)( 2 s 1)( 3s 1)
s 1 2 s 1 3s 1

c.
The denominator of this question has two repeated roots, namely s=-3 and s=-3.
2s 7
2

s 6s 9

2s 7
( s 3)

A
B

s 3 ( s 3) 2

A=2 , B=1
Thus
2s 7
2

s 6s 9

2
1

s 3 ( s 3) 2

d.
The denominator of this question has two repeated roots, namely s=1.5 and s=1.5.
8s 15
2

4 s 12 s 9

2 s 3.75
2

s 3s 9 / 4

A
B

s 1.5 ( s 1.5) 2

2
0.75

s 1.5 ( s 1.5) 2

A=2, B= -0.75
Thus
8s 15
2

4 s 12 s 9

2.

2 s 15 / 4
2

s 3s 9 / 4

Convert the following partial fractions into a single fraction:

Solution:
1
3
6
19 s 2 22 s 4

s s 2 8s 4 4 s 3 10s 2 4 s

3. By using the standard forms in the Tables of Laplace Transform Pairs on Page 8 to 10 of
Lecture Note, find the inverse Laplace transforms of the partial fractions obtained in Question 1
(a, b, c and d).
Solution:
6 s 14

(a)

s 4s 3

4
2

s 1 s 3

Inverse Laplace Transform is

4
2

) 4e t 2e 3t
s 1 s 3

L1 (

(b)

13s 2 11s 2
2
1
1

( s 1)( 2 s 1)(3s 1)
s 1 2 s 1 3s 1

Inverse Laplace Transform is

2
1
1

) 2e t 0.5e 0.5t 0.33e 0.33t

s 1 2 s 1 3s 1

L1 (

(c)

2s 7
2

s 6s 9

2
1

s 3 ( s 3) 2

Inverse Laplace Transform is

L1 (

(d)

2
1

) 2e 3t te 3t
s 3 ( s 3) 2

8s 15
2

4 s 12 s 9

2 s 15 / 4
2

s 3s 9 / 4

2
0.75

s 1.5 ( s 1.5) 2

Inverse Laplace Transform is

L1 (

2
0.75

) 2e1.5t 0.75te1.5t
s 1.5 ( s 1.5) 2

4. Find the dominant poles of the following systems

a.

2
2

( s 2 s 8)( s 12)

1
8 12
1
8
1
1
2

2
2
8 12 ( s 2 s 8)( s 12) 48 s 2 s 8 6 s 2 s 8

b.
5
2

( s 3s 11.25)( s 10)
0 .5
2
s 3s 11.25

5
11.25 10
5
11.25
2

2
11.25 10 ( s 3s 11.25)( s 10) 11.25 10 ( s 3s 11 .25)

5. Indicate graphically the region where poles are located in the S plane, which makes the system
response to the unit step is stable.
Solution:
As shown in the figure below, the shaded region in the left hand side S-plane is where the roots
of stable systems should be located.
Im
()

Left hand side

of S-plane
where the
roots of stable
systems are
located
0

Re

6. Derive the transfer function of the spring-cart system as shown in Figure 5 on Page 10 in
Lecture Note. (Note: dont read the contents in the book unless you are really stuck when
answering the question. )
The solution can be found on pages 11 and 12 in lecture notes.
7. A spring-servomotor system is shown in figure below, where the servomotor is used to drive the
payload. The torque f(t) produced by the motor is applied to the payload. M is the mass of the
payload, B is the coefficient of the viscosity at the bearings and k is the stiffness coefficient of
the shaft that can be regarded as a torsion rod spring. By Newtons second law, the net torque or
4

the difference between the torque from the motor and the torques that oppose the rotation
determines the angular acceleration of the object. A torsion rod spring is a kind of spring that
shows torsion when subjected to a force but it recovers its original shape when the force is
removed.

Fk=kx
FB=Bx
f(t)

FM=Mx

k
M
Payload

Bearing

Motor
shaft

Servomot
or

(a)

Obtain the differential equation of the spring-servomotor system as shown in the above figure.

(b)

Find the open loop transfer function of the system.

(c)

Find the closed loop transfer function of the system and its canonical form assuming H(s)=1.

(d)

Find the values of the damping coefficient and the undamped natural frequency n of the
closed loop given that M= 9 kg, B = 1.8 Nm-1 s and k = 8 Nm-1 .

(e)

Analyze and assess the performance of the system.

Solution:
(a)
Assume that the toque produced by the motor is denoted by f(t), the toque from friction is denoted
by FB and the toque from the shaft stiffness is denoted by Fk, and the rotation of the payload is
denoted by x(t).
By the Newton second law, we have

f (t ) FB Fk M x(t )

Substituting FB B x (t ) and

Fk kx (t ) into the above equation and rearranging

M x (t) B x(t) kx(t) f (t)

gives,
(b)
Applying the Laplace Transform gives,

Ms 2 X ( s ) BsX ( s ) kX ( s ) F ( s )

Open loop transfer function is

1
X ( s)
1
M
G( s)

2
B
k
F ( s ) Ms Bs k S 2
s
M
M
(c)
Closed loop transfer function is

1
M
B
k 1
1
2
s
s
G ( s)
M
M
M
T ( s)

1
B
k 1
1 G(s) H (s)
s2 s
M
M
M
1
1
B
k 1
s2
s
M
M

The second order canonical form of T(s) is

Kn2
T (s) 2
s 2 n s n2
(d)
Equating the coefficients in T ( s )

1
M

s2

B
k 1
s
M
M

and T ( S )

K n2
yields.
s 2 2 n s n2

B
2n M

k 1
M
1
Kn2
M

2
n

The values of the damping coefficient and the undamped natural frequency n are

B
1 .8
2 M 2 1 9 0.1
n

k 1 8 1 1
n
M
9

(e)

0.1 0.7

n 1 4

Since 0.1 0.7 , the system tends to be oscillating ; and sine n 1 4 , the systems
response time is too long. As the result, the performance specifications are not
acceptable.