Stability

Dr. issam ELGMATI

Introduction
• Knowing that an unstable closed-loop system is
generally of no practical value, we seek methods to
help us analyze and design stable systems.
• A stable system should exhibit a bounded output if
the corresponding input is bounded. This is known
as bounded-input, bounded-output stability.
• The stability of a feedback system is directly related
to the location of the roots of the characteristic
equation of the system transfer function.
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• The Routh–Hurwitz method is introduced as a useful
tool for assessing system stability.
Introduction (Cont.)
• The Routh–Hurwitz technique allows us to compute the
number of roots of the characteristic equation in the right
half-plane without actually computing the values of the
roots.
• Thus we can determine stability without the added
computational burden of determining characteristic root
locations.
• This gives us a design method for determining values of
certain system parameters that will lead to closed-loop
stability. 3
 The Concept of Stability
• A stable system is a dynamic system with a bounded
response to a bounded input.
• Absolute stability is a stable/not stable characterization
for a closed-loop feedback system.
• Given that a system is stable we can further
characterize the degree of stability, or the relative
stability.

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The Concept of Stability
The concept of stability can
be illustrated by a cone
placed on a plane horizontal
surface.

A necessary and
sufficient condition for
a feedback system to
be stable is that all the
poles of the system
transfer function have
negative real parts.

A system is considered marginally stable if only certain

bounded inputs will result in a bounded output.
 Stable System

• A system is said to be stable if for a bounded input, the

response of system is bounded.
• In absence of an input, a stable system approaches zero
as time approaches infinity irrespective of the initial
condition.
• It is important that every working system is stable.

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 Unstable System
• A system is said to be unstable if for a bounded input, the
system produces an output which goes on increasing
without any bounds and the designer has no control over it.
• An unstable system whose response grows without bounds
can cause damage to the system, adjacent property and
also to human life.
• One will not find an unstable system in working condition !!

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 Marginally Stable System

• A system is said to be marginally stable if the output of the

system does not go down to zero (like a stable system) or
does it go on increasing (like an unstable system).
• The output of marginally stable system oscillates in a finite
range.

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 The Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
All coefficients of the characteristic equation must
have the same sign and non-zero if all the roots are
in the left-hand plane.

These requirements are necessary but not sufficient.

If the above requirements are not met, it is known
that the system is unstable. But, if the requirements
are met, we still must investigate the system further
to determine the stability of the system.

The Routh-Hurwitz criterion is a necessary and 9

sufficient criterion for the stability of linear systems.
 The Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
Characteristic equation, q(s) an s n  an 1s n 1  an  2 s n  2    a1s  a0  0

Routh array sn an an  2 an  4
s n 1 an 1 an 3 an  5
s n2 bn 1 bn 3 bn 5
s n 3 cn 1 cn  3 cn  5
   
   
The Routh-Hurwitz criterion
   
states that the number of
s0 hn 1
roots of q(s) with positive
real parts is equal to the
number of changes in sign bn 1 
 an 1  an2   an  an3    1 an an  2
of the first column of the an 1 an 1 an 1 an  3
Routh array.  1 an  2 an  4
bn 3  10
an 1 an 1 an 3
 1 an 1 an  3
cn 1 
bn 1 bn 1 bn 3
Example: Generating a basic Routh
.Table

 Only the first 2 rows of the array are obtained

from the characteristic eq. the remaining are
calculated as follows;

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Q. Check weather the following system is stable or
unstable.

Solution :-

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here, a0 = 1, a1 = 3, a2 = 2, a3 = 7
We now construct the Routh array

s3 1 2 0
s2 3 7 0
S1 -1/3 0
s0 7

• Observe the first column of the Routh array. There are two sign
changes (from +3 to -1/3 and from -1/3 to +7 ). Hence the given
system is unstable 13
Example: Check whether the given system is
stable or unstable.

Solution :-

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 We construct the Routh array

s3 1 2 0
s2 3 3 0
s1 1 0
s0 3

Since the element of the first column of the Routh array are all
positive, all three closed loop poles lie on the LHP. We can
hence conclude that the Routh array informs us whether a
system is stable or not without actually computing the roots. 15
Example: Determine the stability of:
Q(s)= s5 + s4 + 2s3 +2s2 + 3s + 5 = 0.
•Solution:-The Routh’s array shows that s3 row breaks down.
Replace 0 in column 1 of s3 row by and proceed with the array.

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• The limiting value gives -2.
• There is sign change in s1 row. Also from s1 to s0 row, one
more sign change. Total 2 sign changes, indicating two
poles in RHP and hence instability.
• For this case, there will always be roots in RHP. Hence
completion of the array will only tell how many roots are
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there.
Routh-Hurwitz Cases:
Case One: No element in the first column is zero
Example 6.1 Second-order system

The Characteristic polynomial of a second-order sys tem is:

2
q( s ) a2 s  a1 s  a0

The Routh array is w ritten as:

s2 a2 a0
s1 a1 0
w here: s0 b1 0
a1 a0  ( 0)  a2
b1 a0
a1
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Theref ore the requirement f or a stable second-order system is
simply that all coef f icients be positive or all the coef ficients be
negative.
Routh-Hurwitz Cases:
Case Two: Zeros in the first column while some elements
of the row containing a zero in the first column are nonzero
If only one element in the array is z ero, it may be replaced w ith a small positiv e
number  that is allow ed to approach zero after completing the array.

5 4 3 2
q( s ) s  2s  2s  4s  11s  10

The Routh array is then:

s5 1 2 11
s4 2 4 10
s3 b1 6 0
s2 c1 10 0
s1 d1 0 0
s 0 10 0 0

w here:

b1
2 2  1 4
0  c1
4  2 6 12
d1
6 c1  10
6
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2   c1
There are tw o sign changes in the first column due to the large negative number
calculated f or c1. Thus, the system is unstable because tw o roots lie in the
right half of the plane.
Routh-Hurwitz Cases:
Case Three: Zeros in the first column, and the other
elements of the row containing the zero are also zero
This case occurs w hen the polynomial q(s) has zeros located sy metrically about the
origin of the s-plane, such as (s+ )(s -) or (s+j )(s -j). This c ase is solved using
the auxiliary poly nomial, U(s), w hich is located in the row above the row containing
the zero entry in the Routh array.

3 2
q(s ) s  2 s  4s  K
s3 1 4
Routh array:
s2 2 K
s1 8 K
2 0
s0 K 0
For a stable system w e require that 0s 8

For the marginally stable case, K=8, the s^1 row of the Routh array contains all zeros. The
auxiliary plynomial comes f rom the s^2 row .

U( s )
2
2s  Ks
0 2
2 s  8  2
2 s  4  2( s  j 2) ( s  j 2)

It c an be proven that U(s) is a f actor of the characteris tic polynomial:

q(s ) s  2 20
U( s ) 2 Thus, w hen K=8, the factors of the characteristic polynomial are:

q(s ) ( s  2) ( s  j 2) ( s  j 2)
 Case Four: Repeated roots of the
characteristic equation on the jw-axis.

• With simple roots on the jw-axis, the system

will have a marginally stable behavior. This is
not the case if the roots are repeated.
• Repeated roots on the jw-axis will cause the
system to be unstable. Unfortunately, the
routh-array will fail to reveal this instability.
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Example

Using block diagram reduction we find that:

The Routh array is then: s4 1 11 Ka

s3 6 ( K  6)
s2 b3 Ka
s1 c3
s0 Ka
60  K b 3( K  6)  6 Ka
where: b 3 and c3
6 b3
For the system to be stable both b 3 and c3 must be positive. 22
Using these equations a relationship can be determined for K and a .
The Relative Stability of Feedback Control Systems

It is often necessary to know the

relative damping of each root to
the characteristic equation.
Relative system stability can be
measured by observing the
relative real part of each root. In
this diagram r2 is relatively more
stable than the pair of roots
labeled r1.

One method of determining the relative stability of each root is to

use an axis shift in the s-domain and then use the Routh array.

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Design Example: Tracked Vehicle Turning Control

Problem statement: Design the turning control for a

tracked vehicle. Select K and a so that the system is
stable. The system is modeled below.

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Design Example: Tracked Vehicle Turning Control
The characteristic equation of this system is:

1  Gc G( s ) 0

or
K( s  a)
1 0
s ( s  1) ( s  2) ( s  5)

Thus,

s ( s  1) ( s  2) ( s  5)  K( s  a) 0

or
4 3 2
s  8s  17s  ( K  10)s  Ka 0
To determine a stable region for the system, we establish the Routh array as:
s4 1 17 Ka
s3 8 ( K  10) 0
s2 b3 Ka
s1 c3
s0 Ka
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where
126  K b 3( K  10)  8Ka
b3 and c3
8 b
Design Example: Tracked Vehicle Turning Control

s4 1 17 Ka
s3 8 ( K  10) 0
s2 b3 Ka
s1 c3
s0 Ka

where
126  K b 3( K  10)  8Ka
b3 and c3
8 b3

Therefore,

K  126

K a  0
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( K  10) ( 126  K)  64Ka  0
Thank you

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