DMT 354

INTRODUCTION TO CONTROL SYSTEM

CHAPTER 7
ROOT LOCUS TECHNIQUES
 OBJECTIVE

 Define a root locus

 State the properties of root locus
 Sketching the root locus
 INTRODUCTION

 Root locus is a graphical representation of the

closed-loop poles as a system parameter is varied.

 Provides a qualitative description of systems

performance.

 The advantage of this technique is in its ability to

provide solution for systems of order higher than
two.

 Also provide a graphical representation of system’s

stability.
 INTRODUCTION

 What happened if the polynomial were 5th or 10th

order?
 Thus, the properties of root locus is examine so that
it will be able to sketch the root locus for higher
order system without having to factor the
denominator of the closed loop transfer function.
 PROPERTIES OF THE ROOT LOCUS

PROPERTIES
 The properties of OF
the THE ROOT
root locus LOCUS
can be derived from the
general closed-loop transfer function T(s).

KG ( s )
T (s) 
1  KG ( s ) H ( s ) (1)

 The roots of denominator determines the modes of response of

the system. The characteristic equation:

1  KG ( s ) H ( s )  0 (2)

 K : variable parameter, 0 ≤ 𝐾 < ∞

 PROPERTIES OF THE ROOT LOCUS

 The characteristic roots of the system must satisfy, where the

roots lie in the s-plane. Because s is a complex variable,

1  KG ( s ) H ( s )  1
KG ( s ) H ( s )  1
 1(2k  1)180 (3)
Where,
k = 0, ±1, ±2, ±3, …
 PROPERTIES OF THE ROOT LOCUS

 Generally, the function T(s) may be written as :

𝐾 𝑠 + 𝑧1 𝑠 + 𝑧2 𝑠 + 𝑧3 … (𝑠 + 𝑧𝑀 )
𝐹 𝑠 =
𝑠 + 𝑝1 𝑠 + 𝑝2 𝑠 + 𝑝3 … (𝑠 + 𝑝𝑛 )

 The magnitude for the root locus :

𝐾 𝑠 + 𝑧1 𝑠 + 𝑧2 . .
𝐹 𝑠 = =1
𝑠 + 𝑝1 𝑠 + 𝑝2 . .

 The angle for the root locus :

∠𝐹 𝑠 = ∠𝑠 + 𝑧1 + ∠𝑠 + 𝑧2 + ⋯ − ∠𝑠 + 𝑝1 + ∠𝑠 + 𝑝2 + ⋯ = 2𝑘 + 1 180°
 RULES TO SKETCH THE ROOT LOCUS

1) Number of branches.
2) Symmetry.
3) Real axis segments.
4) Starting and ending points.
5) Behavior at infinity.
 RULES TO SKETCH THE ROOT LOCUS

Number of branches
 The number of branch of root locus = the number of closed
loop poles

Symmetry
 The root locus is symmetrical about
the real axis.

symmetry
 RULES TO SKETCH THE ROOT LOCUS

Real axis segments

 On the real axis, for K > 0, the root locus exists to the left of an odd
number of real axis, finite open loop poles and/or finite open loop
zeros.
 RULES TO SKETCH THE ROOT LOCUS

Starting and ending points

 The root locus begins at the finite and infinite poles of G(s)H(s)
 The root locus ends at the finite and infinite zeros of G(s)H(s)
 RULES TO SKETCH THE ROOT LOCUS

Behavior at infinity
 A function can also have infinite poles and zeros.
 If the function approaches infinity as s  ∞, function has pole at infinity.
 If the function approaches zero as s  ∞, function has zero at infinity.
 The root locus approaches straight lines as asymptotes as the locus
approaches infinity.
 Asymptotes, 𝜎𝑎 :
𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 − 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑧𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑠
𝜎𝑎 =
#𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 − #𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑧𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑠
 Angle, 𝜃𝑎 :
(2𝑘 + 1)𝜋
𝜃𝑎 =
#𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 − #𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑧𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑠
 SKETCHING A ROOT LOCUS WITH
ASYMPTOTES

1. Plot poles and zeros on s-plane

x x x x
-4 -3 -2 -1
 SKETCHING A ROOT LOCUS WITH
ASYMPTOTES

2. Asymptotes, 𝜎𝑎
−1 − 2 − 4 − (−3) 4
𝜎𝑎 = =−
4−1 3

3. Angles of lines, 𝜃𝑎
𝜋
𝜃𝑎 = , 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑘 = 0
3

𝜃𝑎 = 𝜋, 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑘 = 1

5𝜋
𝜃𝑎 = , 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑘 = 2
3
4. Sketch root locus based on rules.
 Further Reading

 Chapter 7
i. Dorf R.C., Bishop R.H. (2001). Modern Control
Systems (9th Ed), Prentice Hall.
 Chapter 8
i. Nise N.S. (2004). Control System Engineering
(4th Ed), John Wiley & Sons.
 DMT 354
INTRODUCTION TO CONTROL SYSTEM

CHAPTER 7
Root Locus Techniques
Contents

■ Introduction
■ Properties of Root Locus
■ Sketching the Root Locus
 Introduction
■ Root locus is a graphical representation of the closed-loop
poles as a system parameter is varied.

■ Provides a qualitative description of systems performance.

■ The advantage of this technique is in its ability to provide

solution for systems of order higher than two.

■ Also provide a graphical representation of system’s stability.

Properties of the Root Locus
■ The properties of the root locus can be derived
from the general closed-loop transfer function
T(s).
KG ( s )
T ( s) 
1  KG ( s ) H ( s )
(1)
■ A pole s, exists when the characteristic
polynomial becomes zero.
KG ( s ) H ( s )  1
 1(2k  1)180 (2)

Where,
k = 0, ±1, ±2, ±3, …
Properties of the Root Locus
■ The closed loop poles are the values of s that
must meet two conditions:

(3)

■ The normal open loop transfer function is:

(4)
Properties of the Root Locus
■ From (4), if n>m, then the magnitude and angle criteria
are:

(5)

■ Root Locus is created by using some rules based on

magnitude and angle criteria.
Rules to sketch the Root
Locus
1) The number of RL branches are equal to the number of open loop
poles.
2) RL starts at each open loop pole when K=0.
3) RL ended at each open loop zero when K=
4) RL symmetrical upon real axis.
5) RL exist on the real axis when the total of pole and zero on the
right of it is odd.
Example of Starting and Ending Points
■ Thus, the root locus begins at the finite and infinite
open-loop poles of G(s)H(s) and ends at the finite
and infinite open-loop zeros of G(s)H(s).
Contd sketching…

6) RL whose headed to will follow the straight line

asymptote with the angle of from real axis.
 Contd sketching…
7) The asymptote intersection on the real axis is:

8) The break out point where the RL disconnect from real axis and
the break in where the RL meet up at real axis are determine
from:
 Contd sketching…
Contd 8)
The break out/in angle among RL branches are:

Where q is the number of RL branches whose break in or

break out from real axis.
*** Rule 8 can be ignored and just using approximation.***
Example of Breakaway & Break-in
Points
■ Numerous root loci
appears to break
away from the real
axis as the system
poles move from the
real axis to the
complex planes.
■ At other times the
loci appear to return
to the real axis as a
pair of complex poles
becomes real.
 Contd sketching…
9) Angle of departure, , from open loop complex poles, , is:

10) The arrival, , from open loop complex zero, , is:

Contd sketching…

11) The intersection with jw axis is determine by using Routh

Hurwitz criteria.
 The jω-axis Crossings
■ The jω-crossings are points on the root locus that separates
the stable operation of the system from the unstable
operation.
■ The value of ω at the axis crossing yields the frequency of
oscillation, while the gain at the jω-axis crossing yields the
positive maximum gain for system stability.
■ The Routh-Hurwitz Criterion is used to determine the jω-axis
crossings by the following means:
i. Forcing a row of zeros in the Routh table will yield the
gain.
ii. Going back one row to the even polynomial equation and
solving for the roots yields the frequency at the
imaginary axis crossings.
Contd sketching…

■ Example 1:
The open loop TF is:
G(s)H(s)= K(s+5)_
s(s2+4s+8)
Sketch the Root Locus.
Rule 12
 Contd Rule 12
■ Problem: Given a unity feedback system that has the
forward transfer function.
K ( s  2)
G (s)  2
( s  4 s  13)
Find the following:
i. Calculate the angle of G(s) at the point (-4 + 2.22j) by
finding the algebraic sum of angles of the vectors
drawn from the zeros and poles of G(s) to the given
point.
ii. Determine if the point specified in (i) is on the root
locus by using ‘angle criteria’ .
iii. If the point specified in (i) is on the root locus, find the
gain K, using the lengths of the vectors (‘magnitude
criteria’).
Contd Rule 12
• If the question gives a damping ratio instead of
point. Then, find the point using below equation.

0.875
Contd Rule 12

■ So, the required gain at damping ratio 0.875 @ point -

4+2.22i:
K= lp1 x lp2 = 2.15 x 5.59 = 4.02
lz1 2.99
Contd Rule 12
29˚
 Further Reading
■ Chapter 7
i. Dorf R.C., Bishop R.H. (2001). Modern Control
Systems (9th Ed), Prentice Hall.
■ Chapter 8
i. Nise N.S. (2004). Control System Engineering
(4th Ed), John Wiley & Sons.