Steady-State Errors

T Kaputu
 Definition and Test Inputs
𝑬𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 = 𝑰𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍 − 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍

• Steady –state error is the difference between the input and

output for a prescribed test input as 𝑡 → ∞

e1 () = 0

𝒆𝟏 (∞) = 𝟎

𝒆𝟐 (∞) = 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭
 Definition and Test Inputs
𝒆𝟏 (∞) = 𝟎

𝒆𝟐 (∞) = 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭
Definition and Test Inputs

𝑟(𝑡) = 1 1
𝑅(𝑠) =
𝑠

𝑟(𝑡) = t 1
𝑅(𝑠) = 2
𝑠

1 1
𝑟(𝑡) = t 2 𝑅(𝑠) = 3
2 𝑠
 Definition and Test Inputs
Example Position control system
• output position follows the input commanded position

• Step inputs represent constant position and thus are useful

in determining the ability of the control system to position
itself with respect to a stationary target

• Example: satellite in geostationary orbit

• Ramp inputs represent constant-velocity inputs to a position
control system by their linearly increasing amplitude.
 Definition and Test Inputs

• parabolas, whose second derivatives are constant, represent

constant acceleration inputs to position control systems and can
be used to represent accelerating targets

Example: missile
 Steady-State Error in Terms of forward, 𝐺 𝑠 :

• Let us now look at the error from the perspective of the most
general block diagram.

𝐸 𝑠 = 𝑅 𝑠 − 𝐶(𝑠) (1)

𝐶(𝑠)
𝑇 𝑠 = (2)
𝑅(𝑠)

𝐶 𝑠 = 𝑇 𝑠 𝑅(𝑠) (3)
 Steady-State Error in Terms of forward, 𝐺 𝑠 :

Substitute (3) into (1) to give:

𝐸 𝑠 = 𝑅 𝑠 − 𝑇 𝑠 𝑅(𝑠)
=𝑅 𝑠 1−𝑇 𝑠 (4)
• Here we are interested in the steady-state, or final value of 𝑒(𝑡).

𝑒 ∞ = lim 𝑒 𝑡 = lim 𝑠𝐸(𝑠)

𝑡→∞ 𝑠→0
 Steady-State Error in Terms of forward, 𝐺 𝑠 :
𝑒 ∞ = lim 𝑒 𝑡 = lim 𝑠𝐸(𝑠) (5)
𝑡→∞ 𝑠→0

Substitute (4) into (5)

𝑒 ∞ = lim 𝑠𝑅 𝑠 1 − 𝐺 𝑠
𝑠→0
 Example 1
Find the steady-state error for the system of Figure 14.1 if the input
is a unit step

5
𝑇 𝑠 = 2
𝑠 + 7𝑠 + 10

Figure 14.1
 Example 1
From the problem statement, 𝑅(𝑠) = 1/𝑠 and
𝐸 𝑠 = 𝑅 𝑠 [1 − 𝑇(𝑠)]

1 1 5 𝑠 2 + 7𝑠 + 5
= − ∙ 2 𝐸 𝑠 =
𝑠 𝑠 𝑠 + 7𝑠 + 10 𝑠(𝑠 2 + 7𝑠 + 10)

Applying the final value theorem

𝑠 2 + 7𝑠 + 5 5 1
𝑒 ∞ = lim 𝑒 𝑡 = lim 𝑠𝐸(𝑠) =𝑠 = =
𝑡→∞ 𝑠→0 𝑠 𝑠 2 + 7𝑠 + 10 10 2
 Steady State Error for unity feedback systems
• Consider the following system below

𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆

𝑪𝑳 𝒔𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆!

• Since the feedback H(s), equal 1, the system has unity feedback

𝐸 𝑠 = 𝑅 𝑠 − 𝐶(𝑠) (6)
𝐶 𝑠 = 𝐸 𝑠 𝐺(𝑠) (7)
 Steady State Error for unity feedback systems
Substitute (6) into (7) yield
𝐸 𝑠 = 𝑅 𝑠 − 𝐸 𝑠 𝐺(𝑠) ⇒ 𝐸 𝑠 + 𝐸 𝑠 𝐺 𝑠 = 𝑅(𝑠)

𝐸 𝑠 [1 + 𝐺 𝑠 ] = 𝑅(𝑠)
𝑒𝑠𝑠
𝑅 𝑠
𝐸 𝑠 = Substitute E(s) into
1 + 𝐺(𝑠)

𝑠𝑅 𝑠
𝑒 ∞ = 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = lim 𝑒 𝑡 = lim 𝑠𝐸(𝑠) 𝑒 ∞ = lim
𝑡→∞ 𝑠→0 𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠)

(𝑠 + 𝑧1 )(𝑠 + 𝑧2 ) ⋯
𝐺 𝑠 ≡ 𝑛 where 𝑛 is the system Type
𝑠 (𝑠 + 𝑝1 )(𝑠 + 𝑝2 ) ⋯
 Steady State Error for unity feedback systems
• lim 𝐺(𝑠) is the dc gain of the forward transfer function, since 𝑠,
𝑠→0
the frequency variable, is approaching zero.

• In order to have zero steady-state error lim 𝐺(𝑠) = ∞

𝑠→0

• Hence 𝐺(𝑠) must take on the following form:

(𝑠 + 𝑧1 )(𝑠 + 𝑧2 ) ⋯
𝐺 𝑠 ≡ 𝑛
𝑠 (𝑠 + 𝑝1 )(𝑠 + 𝑝2 ) ⋯

• for the limit to be infinite, the denominator must be equal to

zero as 𝑠 goes to zero.
 Type 0
𝐾(𝑠 + 𝑧1 )(𝑠 + 𝑧2 ) ⋯ 𝑠𝑅(𝑠)
𝐺 𝑠 ≡ 0 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = 𝑒(∞) = lim
𝑠 (𝑠 + 𝑝1 )(𝑠 + 𝑝2 ) ⋯ 𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠)

Unit –Step Input:

𝑠(1Τ𝑠) 1
1 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = lim =
𝑟(𝑡) = 1 ⇒ 𝑅(𝑠) = 𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠) 1 + 𝐺(𝑠)
𝑠
Static Position Error Constant 𝑲𝒑 :
𝐾𝑝 = lim𝐺(𝑠)𝐻(𝑠) or 𝐾𝑝 = lim𝐺(𝑠)
𝑠→0 𝑠→0

1 𝐾𝑝 ↑ 𝐾↑ 𝑒𝑠𝑠 ↓
𝑒𝑠𝑠 =
1 + 𝐾𝑝 𝐾𝑝 ↓ 𝐾↓ 𝑒𝑠𝑠 ↑
 Type 0
𝐾(𝑠 + 𝑧1 )(𝑠 + 𝑧2 ) ⋯ 𝑠𝑅(𝑠)
𝐺 𝑠 ≡ 0 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = 𝑒(∞) = lim
𝑠 (𝑠 + 𝑝1 )(𝑠 + 𝑝2 ) ⋯ 𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠)

Unit – Ramp Input:

1
𝑟(𝑡) = t ⇒ 𝑅(𝑠) = 2
𝑠
𝑠(1Τ𝑠 2 ) 1 1
𝑒𝑠𝑠 = lim = lim =
𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠) 𝑠→0 s + 𝑠𝐺(𝑠) lim 𝑠𝐺(𝑠)
𝑠→0

Static Velocity Error Constant 𝑲𝒗 :

1 1
𝐾𝑣 = lim𝑠𝐺 𝑠 = 0 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = = =∞
𝑠→0 𝐾𝑣 0
 Type 0
𝐾(𝑠 + 𝑧1 )(𝑠 + 𝑧2 ) ⋯ 𝑠𝑅(𝑠)
𝐺 𝑠 ≡ 0 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = 𝑒(∞) = lim
𝑠 (𝑠 + 𝑝1 )(𝑠 + 𝑝2 ) ⋯ 𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠)

Unit – Parabolic Input (acceleration input):

1 2 1
𝑟(𝑡) = 𝑡 𝑅(𝑠) = 3
2 𝑠
𝑠(1Τ𝑠 3 ) 1 1
𝑒𝑠𝑠 = lim = lim 2 =
𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠) 𝑠→0 s + 𝑠 2 𝐺(𝑠) lim 𝑠 2 𝐺(𝑠)
𝑠→0

Static Acceleration Error Constant 𝑲𝒂 :

1 1
𝐾𝑎 = lim𝑠 2 𝐺 𝑠 =0 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = = =∞
𝑠→0 𝐾𝑎 0
 Step Input
• Let us take each input and evaluate its effect on the steady - state
error by using

𝑠𝑅 𝑠 11
𝑒 ∞ = lim with 𝑅 𝑠 =
𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠) 𝑠𝑠

𝑠(1/𝑠) 1
𝑒 ∞ = 𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑝 ∞ = lim =
𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠) 1 + lim 𝐺(𝑠)
𝑠→0
 Type 1
𝐾(𝑠 + 𝑧1 )(𝑠 + 𝑧2 ) ⋯ 𝑠𝑅(𝑠)
𝐺 𝑠 ≡ 1 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = 𝑒(∞) = lim
𝑠 (𝑠 + 𝑝1 )(𝑠 + 𝑝2 ) ⋯ 𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠)

Unit –Step Input:

1 𝑠(1Τ𝑠) 1
𝑟(𝑡) = 1 ⇒ 𝑅(𝑠) = 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = lim =
𝑠 𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠) 1 + 𝐺(𝑠)

Static Position Error Constant 𝑲𝒑 :

𝐾𝑝 = lim𝐺 𝑠 = ∞
𝑠→0

1 1
𝑒𝑠𝑠 = = =0
1 + 𝐾𝑝 1 + ∞
 Type 1
𝐾(𝑠 + 𝑧1 )(𝑠 + 𝑧2 ) ⋯ 𝑠𝑅(𝑠)
𝐺 𝑠 ≡ 1 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = 𝑒(∞) = lim
𝑠 (𝑠 + 𝑝1 )(𝑠 + 𝑝2 ) ⋯ 𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠)

Unit – Ramp Input:

1
𝑟(𝑡) = t ⇒ 𝑅(𝑠) = 2
𝑠
𝑠(1Τ𝑠 2 ) 1 1
𝑒𝑠𝑠 = lim = lim =
𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠) 𝑠→0 s + 𝑠𝐺(𝑠) lim 𝑠𝐺(𝑠)
𝑠→0

Static Velocity Error Constant 𝑲𝒗 :

1 1
𝐾𝑣 = lim𝑠𝐺 𝑠 = K 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = = = constant Value
𝑠→0 𝐾𝑣 𝐾
 Type 1
𝐾(𝑠 + 𝑧1 )(𝑠 + 𝑧2 ) ⋯ 𝑠𝑅(𝑠)
𝐺 𝑠 ≡ 1 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = 𝑒(∞) = lim
𝑠 (𝑠 + 𝑝1 )(𝑠 + 𝑝2 ) ⋯ 𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠)

Unit – Parabolic Input (acceleration input):

1 2 1
𝑟(𝑡) = 𝑡 𝑅(𝑠) = 3
2 𝑠
𝑠(1Τ𝑠 3 ) 1 1
𝑒𝑠𝑠 = lim = lim 2 =
𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠) 𝑠→0 s + 𝑠 2 𝐺(𝑠) lim 𝑠 2 𝐺(𝑠)
𝑠→0

Static Acceleration Error Constant 𝑲𝒂 :

1 1
𝐾𝑎 = lim𝑠 2 𝐺 𝑠 =0 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = = =∞
𝑠→0 𝐾𝑎 0
 Type 2
𝐾(𝑠 + 𝑧1 )(𝑠 + 𝑧2 ) ⋯ 𝑠𝑅(𝑠)
𝐺 𝑠 ≡ 2 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = 𝑒(∞) = lim
𝑠 (𝑠 + 𝑝1 )(𝑠 + 𝑝2 ) ⋯ 𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠)

Unit –Step Input:

1 𝑠(1Τ𝑠) 1
𝑟(𝑡) = 1 ⇒ 𝑅(𝑠) = 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = lim =
𝑠 𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠) 1 + 𝐺(𝑠)

Static Position Error Constant 𝑲𝒑 :

𝐾𝑝 = lim𝐺 𝑠 = ∞
𝑠→0

1 1
𝑒𝑠𝑠 = = =0
1 + 𝐾𝑝 1 + ∞
 Type 2
𝐾(𝑠 + 𝑧1 )(𝑠 + 𝑧2 ) ⋯ 𝑠𝑅(𝑠)
𝐺 𝑠 ≡ 2 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = 𝑒(∞) = lim
𝑠 (𝑠 + 𝑝1 )(𝑠 + 𝑝2 ) ⋯ 𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠)

Unit – Ramp Input:

1
𝑟(𝑡) = t ⇒ 𝑅(𝑠) = 2
𝑠
𝑠(1Τ𝑠 2 ) 1 1
𝑒𝑠𝑠 = lim = lim =
𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠) 𝑠→0 s + 𝑠𝐺(𝑠) lim 𝑠𝐺(𝑠)
𝑠→0

Static Velocity Error Constant 𝑲𝒗 :

1 1
𝐾𝑣 = lim 𝑠𝐺 𝑠 = ∞ 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = = =0
𝑠→0 𝐾𝑣 ∞
 Type 2
𝐾(𝑠 + 𝑧1 )(𝑠 + 𝑧2 ) ⋯ 𝑠𝑅(𝑠)
𝐺 𝑠 ≡ 2 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = 𝑒(∞) = lim
𝑠 (𝑠 + 𝑝1 )(𝑠 + 𝑝2 ) ⋯ 𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠)

Unit – Parabolic Input (acceleration input):

1 2 1
𝑟(𝑡) = 𝑡 𝑅(𝑠) = 3
2 𝑠
𝑠(1Τ𝑠 3 ) 1 1
𝑒𝑠𝑠 = lim = lim 2 =
𝑠→0 1 + 𝐺(𝑠) 𝑠→0 s + 𝑠 2 𝐺(𝑠) lim 𝑠 2 𝐺(𝑠)
𝑠→0

Static Acceleration Error Constant 𝑲𝒂 :

1 1
𝐾𝑎 = lim 𝑠2 𝐺 𝑠 =K 𝑒𝑠𝑠 = = = constant
𝑠→0 𝐾𝑎 𝐾
 System Type
Relationships between input, system type, static error constants and steady state errors
 Static Error Constants and System Type
In the previous section we derived the following relationships for
steady-state error.
1
For a step input, 𝑢(𝑡), 𝑒 ∞ = 𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑝 ∞ =
1 + lim 𝐺(𝑠)
𝑠→0

1
For a ramp input, t𝑢(𝑡), 𝑒 ∞ = 𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑝 ∞ =
lim 𝑠 𝐺(𝑠)
𝑠→0

1 2 1
For a parabola input, t 𝑢(𝑡), 𝑒 ∞ = 𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑙𝑎 ∞ =
2 lim 𝑠 2 𝐺(𝑠)
𝑠→0
 Static Error Constants and System Type
• The three terms in the denominator that are taken to the limit
determine the steady-state error.

• We call these limits static error constants. Individually, their

names are

position constant, 𝐾𝑝 , where 𝐾𝑝 lim 𝐺(𝑠)

𝑠→0

velocity constant, 𝐾𝑣 , where 𝐾𝑣 lim 𝑠𝐺(𝑠)

𝑠→0

acceleration constant, 𝐾𝑎 , where 𝐾𝑎 lim 𝑠 2 𝐺(𝑠)

𝑠→0

The value of the steady-state error decreases as the static error

constant increases.
 Example 1
Find the steady-state errors for inputs of 5𝑢(𝑡), 5𝑡𝑢(𝑡), and 5𝑡 2 to
the system shown in Figure 28.2 The function 𝑢(𝑡) is the unit step.

Figure 28.2
 Example 1
First we verify that the closed-loop system is indeed stable
for the input 5𝑢(𝑡), the Laplace of 5𝑢(𝑡) is 5/𝑠

5 5
𝑒 ∞ = 𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑝 ∞ = =
1 + lim 𝐺(𝑠) 120𝑠 + 240
𝑠→0 1 + lim 2
𝑠→0 𝑠 + 7𝑠 + 12

5 5
= =
1 + 20 21
 Example 1
for the input 5𝑡𝑢(𝑡), the Laplace of 5𝑡𝑢(𝑡) is 5/𝑠 2

5 5
𝑒 ∞ = 𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑝 ∞ = = =∞
lim 𝑠𝐺(𝑠) 0
𝑠→0

for the input 5𝑡 2 𝑢(𝑡), the Laplace is 10/𝑠 3

10 10
𝑒 ∞ = 𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑙𝑎 ∞ = 2
= =∞
lim 𝑠 𝐺(𝑠) 0
𝑠→0
 Example 2
Given the following system, evaluate the static error constants and
find the expected error for the standard step, ramp, and parabolic
inputs.
 Example 2
First verify that the closed-loop system is indeed stable

500 × 2 × 5
𝐾𝑝 = lim 𝐺(𝑠) = = 5.208
𝑠→0 8 × 10 × 12

𝐾𝑣 = lim 𝑠𝐺 𝑠 = 0 𝐾𝑎 = lim 𝑠 2 𝐺 𝑠 = 0
𝑠→0 𝑠→0

1
For a step input, 𝑒 ∞ = = 0.161
1 + 𝐾𝑝

1
For a ramp input 𝑒 ∞ = =∞
𝐾𝑣

1
For a parabolic input 𝑒 ∞ = =∞
𝐾𝑎
 Example 3
Given the control system, find the value of K so that there is 10%
error in the steady state.
 Example 3

Since the system is Type 1, the error stated in the problem must
apply to a ramp input; only a ramp yields a finite error in a Type 1
system. Thus,

1
𝑒 ∞ = = 0.1
𝐾𝑣

Therefore,
𝐾×5
𝐾𝑣 = 10 = lim 𝑠𝐺(𝑠) =
𝑠→0 6×7×8

Which yields 𝐾 = 672

37