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2.004 Dynamics and Control II

Spring 2008

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 Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Department of Mechanical Engineering

2.004 Dynamics and Control II

Spring Term 2008

Lecture 291
Reading:
• Nise: Chapter 8

1 Root Locus Refinement

The complete set of sketching rules contains additional methods to make a sketched plot
more accurate. While these were useful in the days before ubiquitous computation, today
with the existence of tools such as MATLAB makes these graphical refinements somewhat
unnecessary. We therefore just mention them here and refer you to Nise, Section 8.5, for
more detail.

1.1 Real-Axis Breakaway and Break-In Points

jw

a " b r e a k a w a y " p o in t a " b r e a k - in " p o in t

K in c r e a s in g K in c r e a s in g

X X o o s
K = 0 K = 0 K = ¥ K = ¥

A breakaway point is the point on a real axis segment of the root locus between two real
poles where the two real closed-loop poles meet and diverge to become complex conjugates.
Similarly, a break-in point is the point on a real axis segment of the root locus between two
real zeros where two real closed-loop complex conjugate zeros meet and diverge to become
real.
Because the closed-loop poles originate from open-loop poles (when K = 0), a breakaway
point will correspond to the point of maximum K along the real-axis segment. Similarly, a
break-in point will correspond to the point of minimum K on the real axis segment between
the two zeros.
The closed-loop characteristic equations is 1 + KG(s) = 0, so that along the root locus
segments on the real axis (s = σ)
1 D(σ)
K=− =−
G(σ) N (σ)
1 c D.Rowell 2008
copyright �

29–1

 K K

0 s 0 s

X X o o s
K = 0 s b K = 0 K = ¥ s b K = ¥

The breakaway/break-in points (maximum/minimum points) will therefore occur where

� �
dK d D(σ)
=− =0
dσ dK N (σ)
or when
N (σ)D� (σ) − N � (σ)D(σ) = 0.

Example 1
Find the real axis breakaway/break-in points for the closed-loop system with
s2 + 10s + 24 (s + 6)(s + 4)
G(s) = 2 = .
s + 3s + 2 (s + 1)(s + 2)
The root locus has two real-axis segments, between the pole pair and between
the zero pair. There will therefore be a breakaway point and a break-in point.

jw

" b r e a k a w a y " p o in t

a " b r e a k - in " p o in t

o o X X s
-6 -4 -2 -1

The breakaway/break-n points will be contained in the roots of

N (σ)D� (σ) − N � (σ)D(σ) = 0.

or

(σ 2 + 10σ + 24)(2σ + 3) − (σ 2 + 3σ + 2)(2σ + 10) = 7σ 2 + 44σ + 52 = 0

giving σ1,2 = −4.708, −1.578, as shown below:

29–2
 jw

s = -4 .7 0 8 s = -1 .5 7 8

o o X X s
-6 -4 -2 -1

1.2 Angle of Arrival and Departure from Zeros and Poles

Further refinement of the Root Locus may be made by computing the angle at which the
branches of the locus depart from the open-loop poles, and arrive at the open-loop zeros.
jw
a n g le o f a r r iv a l
f
q
o X
a n g le o f d e p a r tu r e

Consider a point a small distance � from a pole:

jw
a n g le o f d e p a r tu r e

e q d
X

f f
o 1
o 2

q 1 s
X

The angle condition at the point requires

� �
angles from the zeros − angles from the poles = (2k + 1)π

or
φ1 + φ2 − θ1 − θd = (2k + 1)π

29–3
Let k = 0 and let � → 0, then
θd = φ1 + φ2 − θ1 − π
where the angles are measured to the pole itself.
A similar argument defines the angle of arrival at a complex zero.

Example 2
Find the angle of departure at the pole p = −1 + j2 for the closed-loop system
where
s+4
G(s) = 2 .
s + 2s + 5
jw
a n g le o f d e p a r tu r e

q d
X j2

o f
s
-4 -1

q
X - j2

In the above figure θ = 90◦ , φ = arctan(2/3) = 33.7◦ . The angle of departure

is therefore
θd = φ − θ − π
= 33.7◦ − 90◦ − 180◦
= −236.31◦ = 123.69◦
jw

4
o
1 2 3 .7

-7 .6 1
s
-1 0 -8 -6 -4 -2 0

-2

-4

29–4

1.3 Summary of Root Locus Sketching Rules

Definitions • The open-loop transfer function is KGc (s)Gp H(s) which can
be rewritten as KN (s)/D(s).
• N (s), the numerator, is an mth order polynomial; D(s) is nth
order.
• G(s) has zeros at zi , (i = 1 . . . m); and poles at pi (i = 1 . . . n).
Symmetry The locus is symmetric about real axis (i.e., complex poles ap­
pear as conjugate pairs).
Number of branches There are n branches of the locus, one for each pole of the closed-
loop transfer function.
Start and end points The locus starts (when K = 0) at poles of the open-loop transfer
function, and ends (when K = ∞) at the zeros. Note: there are
n − m zeros of the open-loop transfer function as |s| → ∞.
Locus on real axis The locus exists on the real axis to the left of an odd number of
poles and zeros.
Asymptotes as |s| → ∞ If n > m there are n − m asymptotes� � of the root locus that
intersect the real axis at σa = ( pi − zi )/(n−m), and radiate
out with angles θk = (2k +1)π/(n−m), for k = 0 . . . (n−m−1).
Refinement of the Root Locus:

Breakaway and break-in There are breakaway or in points of the locus on the real axis
points on the real axis wherever N (s)D� (s) − N � (s)D(s) = 0.
Angle of departure from The angle of departure from pole pj is
a complex pole
m
� n
�
◦
θd,pj = ±180 + � (pj − zi ) − � (pj − pi )
i=1 i=1,i�=j

Angle of arrival at com­ The angle of arrival at zero zj is

plex zero
m
� n
�
◦
φa,zj = ±180 + � (zj − zi ) − � (zj − pi )
i=1,i�=j i=1

Imaginary axis crossingsUse Routh-Hurwitz to determine where the locus crosses the
(stability limits) imaginary axis, or assume a form for the closed-loop char. eqn.
and solve for the coefficients
Determine the poles for Substitute the value of K into D(s) + KN (s) = 0 and find roots
a given gain K of characteristic equation. (This may require a computer)
Determine K for a given Use the magnitude condition with s = σ + jω, ie K =
pole location −D(s)/N (s). (If s is not exactly on the locus, K may be com­
plex, but the imaginary part should be small. Take the real part
of K for your answer.)

29–5

2 MATLAB Root Locus Functions

2.1 MATLAB Language Functions

rlocus() The function rlocus(sys) produces a root locus plot for the system object sys.
For example
sys =
zpk([ -1.5 -4.5],[0 -1 -4],1)
rlocus(sys)

Root Locus
2

1.5

0.5
Imaginary Axis

−0.5

−1

−1.5

−2
−12 −10 −8 −6 −4 −2 0 2
Real Axis
produces the plot

sgrid() The function sgrid without any arguments generates a grid over an existing con­
tinuous s-plane root locus or pole-zero plot. Lines of constant damping ratio (ζ) and
undamped natural frequency (ωn ) are drawn.
If invoked with a pair of arguments, sgrid(zeta, wn), lines of constant damping ratio
for the values given in the vectors zeta and wn will be plotted. For example
sgrid([0.92 0.95 0.98], [3 4 5 6 7]) superimposed on the above example pro­
duces the plot
Root Locus
2
0.95 0.92

1.5 0.98

0.5
Imaginary Axis

7 6 5 4 3
0

−0.5

−1

−1.5 0.98

0.95 0.92
−2
−12 −10 −8 −6 −4 −2 0 2
Real Axis

29–6

 Example 3
Use MATLAB to find the gain K to achieve a closed-loop damping ratio 0f
ζ = 0.707 for the open-loop system

(s + 1)2
G(s)
s(s2 + 1)

The commands sys = tf([1 2 1],[1 0 1 0])

sgrid(0.707, 0)
produce the plot

Root Locus
2.5
0.707

2
System: sys
1.5 Gain: 4.52
Pole: −1.97 + 1.97i
Damping: 0.707
1 Overshoot (%): 4.31
Frequency (rad/sec): 2.78
Imaginary Axis

0.5

−0.5

−1

−1.5

−2
0.707
−2.5
−7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 0 1
Real Axis

With the cursor, the gain is found to be K = 4.52. The step response of the
closed-loop system is found with the following commands:
closed loop = feedback (4.52*sys, 1)
step(closed loop)

29–7

 Step Response
1.4

1.2

Amplitude
0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time (sec)

We note that the overshoot is greater than the 5% predicted by the poles with
a damping ratio of ζ = 0.707. This is because the closed-loop system retains the
open-loop zeros, and these zeros accentuate the overshoot.

Example 4
Plot the root locus for
(s + 1.5)(s + 5.5)
. G(s)
s(s + 1)(s + 5)
sys = zpk([-1.5 -5.5],[0 -1 -5],1)
rlocus(sys)

Root Locus
2

1.5

0.5
Imaginary Axis

−0.5

−1

−1.5

−2
−14 −12 −10 −8 −6 −4 −2 0 2
Real Axis

29–8

2.2 RLTOOL, an Interactive Root Locus Design Tool

RLTOOL is a variant of SISOTOOL, which is an interactive GUI based control system design
tool in MATLAB. It will be introduced through a classroom demo.

• The plant Gp (s) may be imported as a system object from the MATLAB workspace.

• The compensator/controller may be defined interactively by placing poles and zeros

directly on the root locus plot.

• These poles may be moved around by dragging on the plot.

• Response curves (step, impulse, etc) may be displayed as the gain is changed.

29–9