Root Locus

This lecture we will learn

– What is root locus
– How to sketch root-locus
– How to determine the closed loop poles via root locus
– How to use root locus to describe the transient
response, and stability of a system as a system
parameter is varied
Root Locus : Usage

Root Locus : A graphical representation of the closed loop

poles as a system parameter varies.
– Root locus can describe the performance of the system
as varius parameters are changed.
– The effects of gains on the system response, overshoot
and the stability can be determined.
Root Locus : Definition

Consider the system

How does the roots of the characteristic equation in s-plane

change as the gain is varied from to .
A „locus“ of these roots plotted in s-plane as a function of
is called the Root Locus
Root Locus : Construction

For the given system the closed loop transfer function is

characteristic
equation Magnitude
criteria
That is

Angle
criteria
Root Locus : Construction

Consider

Magnitude
criteria

Angle
criteria
Root Locus : Construction Rules

Root Locus Rules

Rule #1: Loci starts at the open loop poles;

Rule #2: Loci terminates at the open-loop zeros (including those

at infinity);

Rule #3: There will be as many separate loci as the largest

number of finite open loop poles or zeros. For the majority of
systems, the number of finite open loop poles are greater than the
finite number of open loop zeros.
Rule #4: The root loci are symmetrical with respect to the real axis
Root Locus : Construction Rules
Rule #5: The root loci may be found on portions of the real axis
to the left of an odd number of open loop poles and zeros.
Rule #6: The asymptotes intersect real axis at a point given by
Centroid
formula
Rule #7 : The root loci are asymptotic to straight lines, for large
values of s, with angles given by

number of finite open loop of poles

number of finite open loop of zeros
Root Locus : Construction Rules

Let relative degree (RD)

the centroids are marked x above

Root Locus : Construction Rules

Rule #8 : The point on the real axis at which the loci

brakes away or breaks into the real axis can be calculated
as ;

Rule #9 : The angles of departure and arrival can be

computed using the angle and magnitude criterian.
Example :

Consider the system

where

Open loop poles are at

Closed loop transfer function

Characteristic Eq.
Step 1 : Pole Zero plot

Rule#5

Step 2 : Centroids and Asymptotes (RD=3)

Centroid

Step 3 : Break away point

( We might not need this :) .. Why? )
 Step 4 : Plot the root locus

● Locus must be symmetric to 6

real axis
4
● 3 open loop zeros are at
infinity Imag Axis 2

0 conjugate
pairs
-2
matlab code
figure; -4

num = [1];
-6
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
denum = [1 6 8 0];
Real Axis
rlocus(num,denum);
Break away point
Example

Same system with

open loop poles at

closed loop transfer function
characteristic equation

pole zero plot

 Centroid and asymptotes
centroid =

RD = 2 – 0 = 2

2.5

Draw the root locus plot 2

1.5
Imag Axis
1
matlab code 0.5
figure; 0
-0.5
num = [1];
-1
denum = [1 4 3]; -1.5

rlocus(num,denum); -2
-2.5
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis
Open Loop Response

Note that for the open loop system

For the unit step input we have

Closed Loop Response

The step response of the closed loop system is

As the values
of K changes
the transient
response
changes
Example
Given the unity feedback system

with Open loop zeros

Open loop poles

Pole Zero plot

Centroid and
Asymptotes
centroid =
RD = 2
 Draw the root locus obeying the rules defined

10

Imag Axis
2

-2

matlab code -4

-6
figure;
-8
num = [1 2];
-10
denum = [1 7 24 18]; -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis
rlocus(num,denum);
Example

Same block diagram with

Characteristic polynomial

Pole Zero Plot

Centroid and Asymptotes

centroid =

RD = 4
 Draw the root locus obeying the rules defined

Imag Axis
2

-2

matlab code -4

figure; -6

num = [1]; -8
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
denum = [1 9 82 192 0]; Real Axis
rlocus(num,denum);
Design using mag. and angle cond.

Example : Find the value of K which places closed loop

pole at -5 for the system

Characteristic polynomial
1

0.8

0.6

The root locus

Imag Axis

0.4

0.2

0 Note that -5 lies on the root locus

-0.2

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

-1
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis
Magnitude Condition

Angle condition

Angle condition satisfied

Example :
Given the system

sketch the root locus.

Start with the characteristic polynomial

Pole Zero Plot

RD = 0
Plot the root locus
Example :

Sketch the root locus of the system shown

Open loop zeros

Open loop poles
Centroid and Asymptotes centroid

RD = 3 (120 degrees apart)

The root locus is then in the form

How to find
these points ?
Any ideas ?
Calculate the charactertic equation

Routh Table :

For the system to be (marginally) stable

Use this K value on the row above to calculate jw axis intersection