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ME451 Linearization Assignment

1. Given the differential equation x& = f ( x, u ) . Linearize the differential equation about
xo = 0 if the function f ( x, u ) is given by
a) f ( x, u ) = x + 3u (the function is linear),
b) f ( x, u ) = x 3 + u ,
c) f ( x, u ) = e x + 2u 2
2. Given the differential equation x& = f ( x, u ) . Linearize the differential equation about
xo = 1 if the function f (x) is given by
a) f ( x, u ) = x + 3u (the function is linear),
b) f ( x, u ) = x 3 + u ,
c) f ( x, u ) = e x + 2u 2
3. A tank of cross section area A contains water that leaks out through a small opening
of area Ao at the bottom. The tank is filled with an input flowrate q . The
differential equation for the water level z in the tank is

z& =

A
q
o (2gz )1 / 2
A A

Linearize the differential equation about z = 1 for Ao = 0.01 m2 and A = 1 m2 . . For

water = 1000 kg / m 3 .
4. An undamped one degree-of-freedom vehicle with air-spring suspension with an
external vehicle input force q (t ) on has the second order differential equation model
for vehicle displacement z (t )

1
1

m&z& + Apo
= q (t )
1 z d
1+ z d

where m is the vehicle mass, A is the air-spring cross sectional area, d is the
maximum air-spring stroke, po is the initial air-spring pressure charge, and the
thermodynamic constant = 1.4 for air. Linearize the differential equation about
z = 0.05 m for a suspension unit with A = 0.01 m2, d = 0.1 m, m = 1000 kg and
po = 2 atm. where patm = 101.3 x 103 Pa and 1 Pa = 1N/m2
1

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Solutions
ME451 Linearization Assignment
1. Given the differential equation x& = f ( x, u ) . Linearize the differential equation about
xo = 0 if the function f ( x, u ) is given by
a) f ( x, u ) = x + 3u (the function is linear),
b) f ( x) = x 3 + u ,
c) f ( x) = e x + 2u 2
Solution:
f ( x) f ( xo , u o ) +

df
dx

( x xo ) +
x = xo

df
du

(u u o ) for all cases where ( xo , u o ) is

u =uo

chosen as an equilibrium point where x& = 0 f ( xo , u o ) = 0 .

a) For equilibrium at xo = 0 , u o = 0. f ( x) = 0 + (1)( x 0) + (3)(u 0) = x + 3u
so that the linearized ODE is x& = x + 3u
b) For equilibrium at xo = 0 , u o = 0. f ( x) = 0 + (3x 2 )

that the linearized ODE is x& = u

c) For equilibrium at xo = 0 , u o = e 0 2 = 1
x

f ( x ) = 0 + ( e )

x =0

x =0

( x 0) + (1)(u 0) = u so

2 = 0.707

( x 0) + (4u o )(u 0.707) = 0 x + 2 2 (u 0.707) so that

( )

the linearized ODE is x& = x + 2 2 u where u = (u 0.707)

Note that in all the cases above, since we linearize about xo = 0 ,
x * = ( x x0 ) = x and the change of variables required by linearization is not
apparent.

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2. Given the differential equation x& = f (x) . Linearize the differential equation about
xo = 1 if the function f (x) is given by
a) f ( x, u ) = x + 3u (the function is linear),
b) f ( x) = x 3 + u ,
c) f ( x) = e x + 2u 2
Solution:
f ( x) f ( xo , u o ) +

df
dx

( x xo ) +
x = xo

df
du

(u u o ) for all cases where ( xo , u o ) is

u =uo

chosen as an equilibrium point where x& = 0 f ( xo , u o ) = 0 .

a) For equilibrium at xo = 1 , u o = 1 3 .
f ( x) = 0 + (1)( x 1) + (3)(u 1 3) = x + 3u where x = ( x 1) and u = (u 1 3) .
Differentiating x& = d ( x 1) dt = x& so that the linearized ODE is x& = x + 3u

b) For equilibrium at xo = 1 , u o = 1 . f ( x) = 0 + (3x 2 )

x =1

( x 1) + (1)(u 1) = 3x + u

where x = ( x 1) and u = (u 1) so that the linearized ODE is x& = 3x + u

c) For equilibrium at xo = 1 , 2u o2 = e 1 u o = 1 2e = 0.429
f ( x ) = 0 + (e x )

x =1

( x 1) + (4u o ) u =0.429 (u 0.429) = 0 + 0.368 x + 1.72u where

x = ( x 1) and u = (u 0.429) so that the linearized ODE is x& = 0.368 x + 1.72u

Note that in all the cases above, since we linearize about xo = 1 , x = ( x x0 ) x and
the change of variables required by linearization is VERY apparent.

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3. A tank of cross section area A contains water that leaks out through a small opening
of area Ao at the bottom. The tank is filled with an input flowrate q . The
differential equation for the water level z in the tank is
z& =

q
A
1/ 2
o (2gz )
A A

Linearize the differential equation about z = 1 for Ao = 0.01 m2 and A = 1 m2 . For

water = 1000 kg / m 3 .
q (t )

Solution:

System

z (t )

1) The systems input is q (t ) and output is z (t )

2) Expressing the model as a function,
f (q, z , z&) = z& +

Ao
(2 gz )1/ 2 q = 0
A
A

3) Defining the equilibrium operating point for output z o = 1

Ao
q
(2 gz o )1 / 2 o = 0 q o = Ao (2 gz o )1 / 2 = 1000 0.01 (2 9.8)1 2 = 44.3 kg/sec
A
A

So that the operating point (q, z ) = (qo , z o ) = (44.3 kg / sec, 1m )

4) Performing a Taylor series expansion,
f (q, z , z&) f (qo , z o ,0) +

df
dq

(q qo ) +
q = qo

df
dz

( z zo ) +
z = zo

df
( &z& &z&o )
d&z& z = zo

A
q 1
df
d
1/ 2
=
=
z& + o (2 gz )

A A
dq dq
A
A
q 1 Ao
df
d
2 Ao g
1
1/ 2
=
z& + o (2 gz )
= 2 (2 gz ) 2 (2 g ) =

A
dz dz
A
2 A z
A
A
q
df
d
1/ 2
z& + o (2 gz )
=
=1

dz& dz&
A
A

With zo = 1, = 1000 kg/m3 for water and using the other given constants,

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1
df
=
= 10 3 m/kg
3
2
dq ( z , q ) (1000 kg/m )(1 m )
o o
0.01 m 2 9.81
df
2

=
= 0.0221 /sec
2 1 m 2 1
dz ( z , q )
o o
So that the function becomes,
f (q, z , z&) (0) + ( 10 3 )(q q o ) + (0.0221)( z z o ) + (1)( z& z& o ) = 0

5) Changing variables:
q~ = (q qo ) , ~
z = (z z o ) , ~
z& = ( z& z& o )
So that f (q, z , z&) (0) + ( 10 3 )q~ + (0.0221)~z + (1)~z& = 0
6) Now rewrite the model linearized equation in the standard form.
~
z& + (0.0221)~
z = (10 3 )q~

These values allow the expression of the linearized ODE model about the operating point.
z& = 0.0221 z + 0.001 q

where the new variables used in the linearized form are z = ( z zo ) = ( z 1) ,

d
q = (q qo ) = (q 44.3) and z& = ( z zo ) = z&
dt

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4.
An undamped one degree-of-freedom vehicle with air-spring suspension with an
external vehicle input force q (t ) on has the second order differential equation model for
vehicle displacement z (t )

1
1

m&z& + Apo
1 + z d = q (t )
1 z d

where m is the vehicle mass, A is the air-spring cross sectional area, d is the maximum
air-spring stroke, po is the initial air-spring pressure charge, and the thermodynamic
constant = 1.4 for air. Linearize the differential equation about z = 0.05 m for a
suspension unit with A = 0.01 m2, d = 0.1 m, m=1000 kg and po = 2 atm. You will need
to find atmospheric pressure in appropriate units.
Solution: patm = 101.3 x 103 Pa where 1 Pa = 1N/m2

1) The system models input q (t ) and output z (t ) .

q (t )

System

z (t )

2) Rewrite the system nonlinear model as

1 1

q(t ) = 0
f (q, z , &z&) = m&z& + Apo
1 z d 1 + z d
3) For the operating point output z o = 0.05m, find the operating point input

1
1

qo (t ) = Apo

1 z o d 1 + z o d

1 .4
1.4

1
1

3
3

= (0.01)(2)101.3 x10
1 + 0.05 0.1 = 4.20 x10
1 0.05 0.1

And the operating point is (q o , z o ) = (4.2 x10 3 m 3 sec , 0.05m )

4) Perform the Taylor expansion,
f (q, z , &z&) f (qo , z o ,0) +

where:

df

dq

df
dq

( qo , z o )

(q qo ) +

df
dz

( qo , z o )

(z zo ) +

df

= 1 ,
= m = 1000 kg
&z& (qo , zo )
d

( qo , zo )

df
( &z& &z&o )
d&z& (qo , zo )

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df

dz

( +1)
( +1)

zo

z o
2
1
1
+
+

=
Ap

atm
d
d
d

( qo , z o )

2.4
2.4
0.05
1.4 0.05
3
1
1
+

= (0.01) ( 2) 101.3 x10 3

= 160x10

0.1
0.1

0.1

[ (

)]

So that f (q, z , &z&) 0 + ( 1)(q q o ) + (160 x10 3 )( z z o ) + (1000 )( &z& &z&o ) = 0

5) Change variables to those for deviations about the operating point
q~ = (q qo ), ~
z = ( z z o ), &~
z& = (&z& &z&o ) so that

f (q~, ~
z , &~
z&) 0 + ( 1)q~ + 160 x10 3 ~
z + (1000 )&~
z& = 0

6) Now rearrange the result into standard form yielding,

1000&~
z& + 160 x10 3 ~
z = q~

near the operating point (q o , z o ) = (4.2 x10 3 m 3 sec , 0.05m )