Control Lab

Experiment-9

Objective: Use MATLAB to draw the Root Locus for the unity feedback system with
the following open loop transfer function:
K ( s  6)
G( s) 
s( s  4)( s 2  4s  8)
Determine K for  = 0.5 using root locus. At this value of K, obtain the close loop transfer
function. Obtain the step response of close loop system and verify the value of  using
measurement of peak overshoot. Also obtain the impulse and ramp response of the closed
loop system.

Software Used:
 MATLAB R2010b Version 7.11.0.584.

Theory:

 The root locus technique is used for finding the roots of the characteristic equation[1].
 The root locus technique is used for the Relative stability of the system.
 The root locus technique provides a graphical method of plotting the locus of roots in
the s-plane as a given system parameter (generally the gain K) is varied over the
complete range of value (may be from zero to infinite).
 This method is very powerful graphical technique for investigating the effects of the
variation of a system parameter on the locations of the closed loop poles.
 The root locus technique provides a measure of sensitivity of roots to the variation in
the parameter being considered.
 The root locus technique provides a measure of sensitivity of roots to the variation in
the parameter being considered.
 General rules for constructing the root locus exist and if the designer follows them,
sketching of the root loci becomes a simple matter.
 A normal interpretation of improving stability is when the real part of a pole is in left
half of the imaginary axis.
 MATLAB Control System Toolbox contains two Root Locus design GUI, sisotool
and rltool. These are two interactive design tools of SISO.

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Procedure for plotting Root Locus

The stepwise procedure for plotting the root locus for a given open loop transfer function
based on salient features mentioned is given below:
1. Starting points. The root locus starts (K=0) from the open loop poles.[3]
2. Ending points. The root locus terminates (K=  ) either on open loop zero or infinity.
3. Number of branches. The number of branches of root locus are
N=P, if P>Z
=Z, if Z>P
Usually P>Z, therefore, N=P
4. Existence on real axis. The existence of the root locus on a section of real axis is
confirmed if the sum of the open loop poles and zeros to the right of the section is odd.
5. Break away points. On the root locus between two open loop poles the roots move
towards each other as the gain factor K is increased till they are coincident.
At the coincident point the value of K is maximum as far the portion of the root locus
between the two open loop poles is concerned .Any future increase in the value of K,
break the root locus in two parts. The breakaway point can be determined by rewriting
the characteristic equation and there from solving for the value of s from the equation
given below:
dK
0
dS
6. The angle of asymptotes. For higher values of K the root locus branches are
approximated by asymptotic lines making an angle with the real axis given by
(2 K  1)*180
Where k=0, 1, 2……upto (P-Z)-1
PZ
7. Intersection of asymptotes on real axis. The asymptotes intersect at a point x on the
real axis given by

x=
 Poles   Zeros
PZ
8. Intersection point with imaginary axis. The value of K and the point at which the
root locus branch crosses the imaginary axis is determined by applying Routh criterion
to the characteristic equation. The root at the intersection point is imaginary.

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9. The angle of departure from complex pole. The angle of departure of the root locus
from a complex pole is given by
d  180o  (  Z )
P

where  P ,  Z = Sum of all the angles subtended by remaining poles and sum of all the

angles subtended by zeros respectively.

10. The angle of arrival from complex zeros. The angle of arrival or the root locus at a
complex zero is given by
a  180o  (Z   P )

where  Z ,  P = Sum of all the angles subtended by remaining zeros and sum of all the
angles subtended by poles respectively.

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MATLAB commands used:

 rlocus: Evans root locus
Syntax
rlocus : computes the Evans root locus of a SISO open-loop model.
rlocus(sys) : calculates and plots the root locus of the open-loop SISO model sys[2].
 feedback : Feedback connection of two LTI models
Syntax
sys=feedback(sys1,sys2): returns an LTI model sys for the negative feedback
interconnection[2].
 Step: Step response of LTI systems
Syntax
step : calculates the unit step response of a linear system
step(sys) : plots the step response of an arbitrary LTI model sys.
 impulse: Impulse response of LTI model
Syntax
impulse : calculates the unit impulse response of a linear system.
impulse (sys): plots the impulse response of an arbitrary LTI model sys.
 lsim: Response of continuous linear systems to arbitrary inputs
Syntax
lsim: plot the time response of the LTI model sys to the input time history t,u
The vector t specifies the time samples for the simulation and consists of regularly spaced time
samples. t=0:dt:Tfinal
[y,t] = lsim(sys,u,t)

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MATLAB Program:

clc;
% assume K=1,Transfer Function declaration
num=[1 6];
den=[1 8 24 32];
t=tf(num,den)
% root locus plot
subplot(2,2,1)
rlocus(t)
hold
y=ezplot('-sqrt(3)*x');
[k,poles]=rlocfind(t)
num1=k*num;
T1=tf(num1,den);
sys=feedback(T1,1)
% step response plot
subplot(2,2,2)
step(sys)
s=stepinfo(sys)
y=s.Overshoot
zeta=log(y)/sqrt(pi^2+(log(y))^2)
grid on
%impulse response plot
subplot(2,2,3)
impulse(sys)
grid on
% ramp response plot
subplot(2,2,4)
t = 0:0.01:5;
ramp=t;
[y,t]=lsim(sys,ramp,t);
plot(t,y);
grid on

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Result:
Transfer function:
s6
s  8s  24s  32
3 2

Current plot held

Select a point in the graphics window
Selected point = 1.7341  2.9844i
k  3.6634
poles = -4.5224
-1.7388 + 2.9854i
-1.7388 - 2.9854i
Transfer function:
3.663s  21.98
s  8s 2  27.66s  53.98
3

Plots-

-sqrt(3) x Step Response

0.8
10
0.6
Imaginary Axis

5
Amplitude

0 0.4

-5
0.2
-10
0
-5 0 5 0 1 2 3
x Time (sec)

Impulse Response Ramp Response

1 2

1.5
0.5
Amplitude
Amplitude

1
0
0.5

-0.5 0
0 1 2 3 4 0 2 4 6
Time (sec) Time

Fig. 1 Results obtained on MATLAB

Comment:
 The root locus and different responses curve have been plotted for the given system.
References:
[1] I.J. Nagrath, M. Gopal” Control System Engineering”, New Age International, Vth
edition, 2010
[2] MATLAB User’s Guide
[3] “Prof.B.S.Manke ”Linear control systems” ,Khanna Publishers, IXth edition ,2009

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Tutorial Sheet

Q1. Use MATLAB to draw the Root Locus plot for the open loop transfer function
K
G(s) H(s) =
s(s+1)(s+6)
Determine (i) the value of K at s = - 4.
(ii) the frequency of sustained oscillations.

Q2. Sketch the root locus of the open loop transfer function given below
𝐾(𝑠+0.1)
G(s) H(s) =
𝑠(𝑠−0.3)(𝑠2+𝑠+0.6)
and Determine the Stability. Verify result by use of MATLAB.