Step Response of an Electrical Network

Frances Irah D. Sayson

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
University of San Carlos
Nasipit,Talamban, Cebu City
cafraidasa11@gmail.com
Abstract This paper shows a background on how to use
SISOTOOL in getting the step response of an electrical
network.

input from zero to a finite value at time t = 0. By default,

thestep command performs a unit step (i.e. the input goes from
zero to one at time t = 0). The basic syntax for calling the step
function is the following, where sys is a defined LTI object.

IndexTermsMatlab,SISOTOOL,Step,StepResponse,
TransferFunction,ElectricalNetwork
I. INTRODUCTION
Anelectricalnetworkisaninterconnectionofelectrical
components (e.g. batteries, resistors, inductors, capacitors,
switches)oramodelofsuchaninterconnection,consistingof
electrical elements (e.g. voltage sources, current sources,
resistances,inductances,capacitances).Anelectricalcircuitis
anetworkconsistingofaclosedloop,givingareturnpathfor
the current. Linear electrical networks, a special type
consistingonlyofsources(voltageorcurrent),linearlumped
elements (resistors, capacitors, inductors), and linear
distributed elements (transmission lines), have the property
thatsignalsarelinearlysuperimposable.Theyarethusmore
easily analyzed, using powerful frequency domain methods
suchasLaplacetransforms,todetermineDC response,AC
response,andtransientresponse.
ATransferFunctionistheratiooftheoutputofasystem
totheinputofasystem,intheLaplacedomainconsideringits
initial conditions and equilibrium point to be zero. This
assumptionisrelaxedforsystemsobservingtransience.Ifwe
haveaninputfunctionofX(s),andanoutputfunctionY(s),
wedefinethetransferfunctionH(s)tobe:

Y (s)
H ( s )=
X ( s)
Thetransferfunctiondescribesthebehavioroftheoutput
asafunctionoftheinputfrequency.Thisisusefulparticularly
in a linear timeinvariant system, where given some input
X(f),wecanfindtheoutputY(f)directlybyusingtherelation
Y(f)=X(f)H(f),whereH(f)isthetransferfunction.

>>step(sys)
This command will produce a series of step response
plots, all on the same figure.
SISOTOOL on the other hand provides the option of
inserting and adjusting the poles and zeros either graphically
or numerically; each mode having its own advantages.
Inserting them numerically is advantageous when precise
values are wanted (for example a pole at the origin for a
controller with Integral term). By inserting them (and also
moving them) graphically the user can perform adjustments
very quickly to see which controller configuration will be able
to let the root locus approximately pass through the desired
poles.
Root locus design is a common control system design
technique in which you edit the compensator gain, poles, and
zeros in the root locus diagram.

II. METHODOLOGY
Theteacheraskedtogenerateastepresponseofthegiven
electricalnetworkusingthestepcommandandSISOTOOL.
Inordertogetastepresponse,thetransferfunctionmust
besolvedfirstfromthegivenelectricalnetwork(Figure1&
Figure4)andencodeitinthecommandwindow.
After encoding the transfer function, use the step
commandtogetthestepresponse.
>>step(Gs)

In order to get the step response of an electrical network,

the Step Function and SISOTOOL are used.
The step function is one of most useful functions in
MATLAB for control design. Given a system representation,
the response to a step input can be immediately plotted,
without need to actually solve for the time response
analytically. A step input can be described as a change in the

The step response of the transfer function will

immediatelyappearonthescreen(Figure2&Figure5).
ThefollowingstepsarerequiredtousetheSISODesign
Tool.
1.

Access the SISO Design Tool: The SISO Design

Toolwindowcanbeaccessedbytypingsisotoolin

the MATLAB Command Window or by executing

this command in an Mfile. In the block diagram
given inthe topright cornerof SISODesign Tool
window,Crepresentsthecompensator.
AninteractivetutorialonSISODesignToolcanbe
invokedbyselectingSISODesignToolHelpunder
theSISODesignToolwindowHelpmenu.
2.

CreateLTItransferfunctions:CreateopenloopLTI
transfer functions for which you want to analyze
closedloop characteristics or design compensators.
ThetransferfunctionscanbecreatedinanMfileor
intheMATLABCommandWindow.RuntheMfile
orMATLABCommandWindowstatementstoplace
thetransferfunctionintheMATLABworkspace.All
LTI objects in the MATLAB workspace can be
exportedtotheSISODesignTool.

3.

Create the closedloop model for the SISO Design

Tool:ChooseImportundertheFilemenuinthe
SISODesignToolwindowtodisplaythewindow.

4.

InteractwiththeSISODesignTool:AftertheImport
SystemDatawindowcloses,theSISODesignTool
windownowcontainstherootlocusandBodeplots
forthesystem.

6.

Properties: Rightclicking in a plot's window and

selecting Properties displays the Property Editor
window.Fromthiswindow,someofthepropertiesof
the plot such as axes labels and limits can be
controlled. Try exploring various options available
withrootlocusandBodeplotpropertieseditor.

7.

Addpoles,zeros,andcompensators:Polesandzeros
maybeaddedfromtheSISODesignToolwindow
toolbar.Letyourmousepointerrestonthebuttonfor
afewsecondstoseethefunctionalityofthebuttonin
theformofscreentips.Addrealpole;Addrealzero;
Add complex pole; Add complex zero; Delete
pole/zero;....functionsareavailable.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

A. RCNetwork

20

V o (t)

V i (t)

Loopgaincanbechangedinthreedifferentways:

InRootLocusEditor:Keepthemousepointerona
closedloop pole (squares) on the root locus. The
arrowcursorchangestoahand.Holddowntheleft
mousebuttonanddragtheclosedlooppolealongthe
rootlocus.Bodeplotandtheclosedloopresponsein
the LTIViewerwill immediatelychange toreflect
the gain change. The value of the gain will be
displayedintheCurrentCompensatorsectionofthe
SISODesignToolwindow.
InOpenLoopBodeEditor:Keepthemousepointer
anywhereontheBodemagnitudecurve.Thearrow
cursorchangestoahand.Holddowntheleftmouse
buttonandshiftthecurveupordown.Rootlocusand
closedloop response in the LTI Viewer will
immediatelychangetoreflectthegainchange.

In the Current Compensator Window: Type the

desired gain value in the C(s)= box in the SISO
DesignToolwindow.

5.

Designconstraints:Designconstraintsmaybeadded
toyourplots.Theseconstraintsmaybeselectedby
rightclickingarespectiveplotandselectingDesign
Constraints.Toputnewconstraints,chooseNew
andtoeditexistingconstraints,chooseEdit.

100mF

Figure1RCNetwork

Inordertogetthestepresponseoftheelectricalnetwork,
thetransferfunctionmustbesolvedfirst.

V i ( t )=V i ( s ) ; V o ( t ) =V o ( s) ; i ( t )=I (s ) ;
10
R=20 ; C=
s
10
V i ( s )=I ( s ) 20+
s
V (s) s V (s)
I ( s )= o = o
10
10
s
s V (s)
10
V i ( s )= o
20+
10
s
V i ( s )=V o ( s ) [ 2 s +1 ]

V o (t)

1
V o (s )
1
2
G ( s )=
=
( )
V i (s) 2 s +1 1
2
1
2
G ( s )=
1
s+
2

Figure 3 shows the step response of the RC Network

usingSISOTOOL.
B. RLNetwork

20
30mH

V i (t)

V o (t)

Figure4RLNetwork

Inordertogetthestepresponseoftheelectricalnetwork,
thetransferfunctionmustbesolvedfirst.

Figure2StepResponseoftheRCNetworkusingStepCommand

Figure 2 shows the step response of the RC Network

usingstepcommandinMATLAB.
>>num=[0.5];
>>den=[10.5];
>>Gs=tf(num,den)
>>step(Gs)

Figure3StepResponseoftheRCNetworkusingSISOTOOL

V i ( t )=V i ( s ) ; V o ( t ) =V o (s) ; i ( t )=I (s ) ;

R=20 ; Ls=0.030 s
V i ( s )=I ( s ) [ 20+0.030 s ]
V o (s)
I ( s )=
0.030 s
V (s )
V i ( s )= o
[ 20+ 0.030 s ]
0.030 s
2000
V i ( s )=V o ( s )
+1
3s
3s
V (s )
1
2000
G ( s )= o =
(
)
V i (s) 2000 +1 3 s
3s
2000
s
G ( s )=
2000
s+
3

Figure6showsthestepresponseoftheRLNetworkusing
SISOTOOL.
IV. CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION

Figure5StepResponseoftheRLNetworkusingStepCommand

Figure5showsthestepresponseoftheRLNetworkusing
stepcommandinMATLAB.
>>num=[10];
>>den=[12000/3];
>>Gs=tf(num,den)
>>step(Gs)

Matrix laboratory or simply MATLAB is a program that is

made for data visualization and numerical computation and is
used for analysis and design. The basic functions of MATLAB
had been extended into different application areas because of
the different toolboxes that it has.
One toolbox which is very useful for control systems is the
Control System Toolbox.
Control System Toolbox provides algorithms and apps
for systematically analyzing, designing, and tuning linear
control systems. You can specify your system as a transfer
function, state-space, zero-pole-gain, or frequency-response
model. Apps and functions, such as step response plot and
Bode plot, let you analyze and visualize system behavior in the
time and frequency domains. SIMULINK and SISOTOOL are
under this toolbox.
The author would like to recommend that one should listen
very carefully to the instructor and that one should have a
background about MATLAB.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author would like to thank God for helping her
inenlightening her mind in making this project. She wouldalso
like to thank her classmates for guiding her and giving her
advices in how to make this project.Without them, this project
would not be completed.
REFERENCES
[1]
[2]
[3]

Figure6StepResponseoftheRLNetworkusingSISOTOOL

Gilat, Amos (2004). MATLAB: An Introduction with Applications 2nd

Edition. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-69420-5.
Barnett, R.A.; Ziegler, M.R.; Byleen, K.E. (2008), College Mathematics
for Business, Economics, Life Sciences and the Social Sciences (11th
ed.), Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson, ISBN 0-13-157225-3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_network