Fundamentals of Automatic Control

Instructors: Dr. Helmy El-Zoghby

[email protected]

2024/3/21 1
 Lecture 10

Stability Study of Control

Systems by Routh Test

2
 Concept of Stability

• A linear, time-invariant system is stable if the natural

response approaches zero as time approaches infinity.

• A linear, time-invariant system is unstable if the natural

response grows without bound as time approaches
infinity.

• A linear, time-invariant system is marginally stable if the

natural response neither decays nor grows but remains
constant or oscillates as time approaches infinity.
 Routh Stability Criterion
 This method yields stability information without the need to solve for the
closed-loop system poles.

 Using this method, we can tell how many closed-loop system poles are in
the left half-plane, in the right half-plane, and on the jw-axis. (Notice that
we say how many, not where.)

 The method requires two steps:

1. Generate a data table called a Routh table.
2. interpret the Routh table to tell how many closed-loop system poles are in
the LHS, the RHS, and on the jw-axis.
 A necessary and sufficient condition
for Stability by Routh test
• Routh’s formulation requires the computation of a triangular array that is a
function of the coefficients of the polynomial characteristic equation.
f (s)  1  G(s) H (s)  a0 s n  a1 s n1  a2 s n2  a3 s n3    an  0
A system is stable if
1-all coefficients of c/cs equation are nonzero and positive
2- the elements of the first column of the Routh array are positive
 Generating a Basic Routh Table
• First label the rows with powers of s from highest power of s down to lowest power of s in
a vertical column.

• Next form the first row of the Routh table, using the coefficients of the denominator of the
closed-loop transfer function (characteristic equation).

• Start with the coefficient of the highest power and skip every other power of s.

• Now form the second row with the coefficients of the denominator skipped in the
previous step.

• The table is continued horizontally and vertically until zeros are obtained.

• For convenience, any row can be multiplied or divide by a positive constant before the
next row is computed without changing the values of the rows below and disturbing the
properties of the Routh table.
 Routh’s Stability Condition

• If the closed-loop transfer function has all poles in the left half of the s-plane,
the system is stable. Thus, a system is stable if there are no sign changes in
the first column of the Routh table.

• The Routh criterion declares that the number of roots of the polynomial that are
lies in the right half-plane is equal to the number of sign changes in the first
column.

• Hence the system is unstable if the poles lies on the right hand side of the s-
plane.
 Method for determining the Routh array

• Consider the characteristic equation:

f (s)  1  G(s) H (s)  a0 s n  a1 s n1  a2 s n2  a3 s n3    an  0

• First arrange the coefficients of the characteristic equation in two rows,
beginning with the first and second coefficients and followed by the even-
numbered and odd-numbered coefficients:
a
n
s : 0
a2 a4 
s n 1 : a1 a3 a5 
s n2 : b1 b2 b3 
Routh array
s n3 : c1 c2 c3 
?!    
s2 : * *
s1 : *
s0 : *
 Routh array

• Compute elements for the 3rd row and other rows:

s : a0
n
a2 a4 
b1  a1
a 2  a0 a3
, n 1
a1 s : a1 a3 a5 
n2
a a 4  a0 a5 s : b1 b2 b3 
b2  1
,
a1 n 3
s : c1 c2 c3 
c1  b1
a 3  a1b2
   
b1
2
 s : * *
1
s : *
0
s : *
 Example 1

Given the characteristic equation,

F ( s )  s 6  4 s 5  3s 4  2 s 3  s 2  4 s  4
is the system described by this characteristic equation stable?

Answer:
• One coefficient (-2) is negative.

• Therefore, the system does not satisfy the necessary

condition for stability.
 Example 2

Given the characteristic equation,

F ( s )  s 6  4 s 5  3s 4  2 s 3  s 2  4 s  4
is the system described by this characteristic equation
stable?

Answer:
• All the coefficients are positive and nonzero.
• Therefore, the system satisfies the necessary condition for
stability.
• We should determine whether any of the coefficients of
the first column of the Routh array are negative.
 Example 3

F ( s )  s 6  4s 5  3s 4  2s 3  s 2  4s  4

6
s : 1 3 1 4
s5 : 4 2 4 0
4
s : ? ? ?
s3 : ? ? ?
2
s : ? ?
1
s : ? ?
0
s : ?
 Example 3

F ( s )  s 6  4s 5  3s 4  2s 3  s 2  4s  4

6
s : 1 3 1 4 4  3  1 2 5

s5 : 4 2 4 0 4 2
4
s : 52 0 4
3 1 4  1 4
s : ? ? ? 0
4
2
s : ? ?
4  4  1 0
s1 : ? ? 4
4
0
s : ?
 Example 3

a ( s )  s  4 s  3s  2 s  s  4 s  4
6 5 4 3 2

6
s : 1 3 1 4
s5 : 4 2 4 0
4
s : 52 0 4
5/ 2 2  40
s : 2  12 5
3
0 2
2 52
s : ? ?
s1 : ? ? 5 / 2  4  4  4  12

0
s : ? 52 5
 Example 3

a ( s )  s  4 s  3s  2 s  s  4 s  4
6 5 4 3 2

6
s : 1 3 1 4
5
s : 4 2 4 0
The elements of
s4 : 52 0 4 the 1st column
are not all positive:
s3 : 2  12 5 0 Two sign change, then two
unstable roots
s2 : 3 4
the system is unstable
s1 :  76 15 0
0
s : 4
 Note : closed loop poles and response

Marginally stable

Note that the

roots are on
the imaginary
axis
 Example 4

a. Feedback
system for

b. equivalent
closed-loop
system

1000
G (s) ( s  2 )( s  3 )( s  5 )
C . L .T . F  
1  G (s) 1000
1
( s  2 )( s  3 )( s  5 )
1000 1000
  3
( s  2 )( s  3 )( s  5 )  1000 s  10 s 2  31 s  1030
 Example 4

F (s)  s 3
 10 s 2
 31 s  1030  0

Two sign changes, two unstable poles

 Example 5

F (s)  3s 5  5s 4  6s 3  3s 2  2s  1  0

Two sign changes--- unstable

 Example 6 ( special case)

10
T .F ( s )  5
s  2 s 4  3s 3  6 s 2  5 s  3
F ( s )  s 5  2 s 4  3s 3  6 s 2  5 s  3  0
 Determining signs in first column of example 6

Two sign changes;

two unstable poles
 Example 7(special case)

10
T .F ( s ) 
s5  7s 4
 6 s 3  42 s 2
 8 s  56

P(s)
All
P’(s)
zero

P(s)=s4+6s2+8, P’(s)=4s3+12s Critical stable

 Note:
If two + real poles, there must be two – real roots,
otherwise two roots are on j-axis
 Example 8

Range of k for stability

K
G (s) s ( s  7 )( s  11 )
T .F ( s )  
1  G (s) K
1 
s ( s  7 )( s  11 )
K

s 3  18 s 2  77 s  K
 Routh table for Example 8

Stable system if all signs

at the first column are
positive

Stable
0<K<1386

at K = 1386 , the system is critical

Above k=1386 , the system is unstable
 THANKS

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