Properties of Root Loci

1 K  0 and K   points of Root Loci

2 Number of Branches on the RL

3 Symmetry of the RL

4 Root Loci on the real-axis

5 Asymptotes of the RL

6 Breakaway points on the RL

7 Departure angle and arrival angle of RL

8 Intersection of the RL with the imaginary axis

9 The sum of the roots and the product of the roots of the
closed-loop characteristic equation
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 Review: What is a root-locus?

The root locus is the path of the

roots of the characteristic equation
traced out in the s-plane as a
system parameter K is changed.

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 Review: What is a root-locus?

Gain G (s )
 ( s  1) C (s)
R(s) K ( s  4)( s  5)

H (s)

( s  3)
( s  2)

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 Review: What is a root-locus?

T (s)

K ( s  1)
R(s) C (s)
G(s) ( s  4)( s  5)

1  KG ( s) H ( s) 1  K ( s  1) ( s  3)
( s  4)( s  5) ( s  2)

Characteristic equation is the denominator of T(s)

K ( s  1) ( s  3)
1  KG( s) H ( s)  1  0
( s  4)( s  5) ( s  2)

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 Review: What is a root-locus?

K ( s  1) ( s  3)
1  KG( s) H ( s)  1  0
( s  4)( s  5) ( s  2)
(s  2)( s  4)( s  5)  K (s  1)( s  3)  0
We want to see all roots of this
characteristic equation for K=0 to K=
infinity.
The root locus start at K=0 and end
at K=infinity.
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 (s  2)( s  4)( s  5)  K (s  1)( s  3)  0

Review: What is a root-locus?

j

 
5 4
3 
2
1
When K=0, P1=-2, P2=-4 and P3=-5
When K=inf, P1=-1, P2=-3 and P3=inf

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 Rules for Sketching The Root Locus – Rule
#1

The number of
branches of Branch 1

the root locus

equals the
number of
closed-loop Branch 2

poles
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 Number of branches on the RL
nth-order system, RL have n starting points and RL have n
branches
m
K  ( s + Z i )
RL
Equation: G( s) H ( s)  i 1
n  1
 ( s + P )
i 1
i

The order of the characteristic equation is n as K varies

from 0 to ∞ ,n roots changen root loci.
For a real physical system, the number of poles of G(s)H(s)
are more than zeros，i.e. n > m.
n root loci end at open-loop zeros（finite zeros)；
m root loci end at open-loop zeros（finite zeros)；
（n－m）root loci end at (n－m) infinite zeros. 9
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 Review: Rules for Sketching The Root
Locus – Rule #2

The root locus is

symmetrical
about the real
axis

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Symmetry of the RL
The RL are symmetrical with respect to the real axis of
the s-plane.

The roots of characteristic equation are real or complex-

conjugate.

Therefore, we only need to draw the RL on the up half s-

plane and on the real-axis, the rest can be obtained by
plotting its mirror image.

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 Review: Rules for Sketching The Root
Locus – Rule #3
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

Odd Number

Real axis sections of the root loci exist only where there is an odd number of
poles and zeroes to the right.
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 Therefore, a value of
s = s1 that satisfies the angle condition, is
RL on the Real Axis a point of the root loci.

On a given section of the real axis, RL for k>0 are found in the
section only if the total number of poles and zeros of G(s)H(s) to the
right of the section is odd.

zero：z1 poles：p1、p2、p3、p4、p5
Pick a test point s1 on [p2，p3]
1 5
G ( s1 ) H ( s1 )   ( s1 +
 zi )  ( s1 +
 pi )
i 1 i 1

？ G( s1 ) H ( s1 )＝(2l  1)180

The sum of angles provided by every pair of
complex conjugate poles are 360°;
The angle provided by all the poles and zeros on
the right of s1 is 180°;
The angle provided by all the poles and zeros on the left of s1 is130°.
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A point on the real axis lies on the locus if the number of open


loop pole plus zeros on the real axis to the right of this point is
odd

K=0 K=0

K=0

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 Review: Rules for Sketching The Root
Locus Rule 4

The root locus

begin at the finite
and infinite poles
of G(s)H(s) and
ends at the finite
and infinite zeros
of G(s)H(s)

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 K  0 and K   points

Root loci originate on the poles of G(s)H(s) (for K=0) and

terminates on the zeros of G(s)H(s) (as K=∞).
m
K  (s 
+ Zi )
There are q = n – m
branches of root locus
RL
Equation: G( s) H ( s)  i 1
n  1 which tend to

 ( s + P )
infinity, along
i straight line
i 1 asymptotes
m n
K s 
+ Zi  s + P
Magnitude i

Equation:
i 1
n
1 K＝ i 1
m

 s + P i  s + Z
i 1
i
i 1

K 0  s -Pi Root loci start from poles of G(s)H(s)

K   s  -Zi Root loci end at zeros of G(s)H(s).

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 Review: Rules for Sketching The Root
Locus – Rule #5

The root locus approaches straight lines as

asymptotes as the locus approaches infinity.
Further, the equation of the asymptotes is
given by:

Real axis intercept Intercept angle

 finite poles   finite zeros (2k  1)

a  a 
# finite poles# finite zeros # finite poles# finite zeros

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 Asymptotes of RL

 As K   the loci approach asymptotes. There are q
= n – m asymptotes and they intersect the real axis at
angles defined by
(2k  1)
(2k  1) a 
a  nm
# finite poles# finite zeros （k= 0，1，2，… ,n-m-1
The asymptotes intersect the real axis at：
n m

p  zi i
 a＝ i 1 i 1

nm
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 Rules for Sketching The Root Locus –
Example

Sketch the root locus

Poles = 0, -1, -2 and -4 Number of poles must
Zeros = -3, inf, inf and inf equal number of zeros. If
less, than the remaining are
infinite poles or zeros.

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 Rules for Sketching The Root Locus –
Example
Poles = 0, -1, -2 and -4 Zeros = -3, inf, inf and inf

Rule 1: 4 Branches
Rule 2: Symmetry Asymptotic line

Rule 3: Start odd

Rule 4: Start pole ends zero
Rule 5: Real axis intercept and angle
 finite poles   finite zeros
a  Centroid
# finite poles# finite zeros

   
Asymptotic line
(0  1  2  4)  (3) 4
a  
4 1 3

(2k  1)
a 
# finite poles # finite zeros Asymptotic line

(2k  1)  5
a   , , The number of asymptotes is equal to
3 3 3 number of branches terminating on
k  0,1,2...(n  m  1) infinity (n-m)
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