BMCM 3733

Control Engineering
System Stability of Linear Feedback
systems

where the derivatives of all states are zeros

UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

Stability

Stability Concept
Describes the ability of a system to stay at its equilibrium position in the
absence of any inputs.

hill

plateau

valley

Ball on curved surface

A linear time invariant (LTI) system is stable if and only if (iff) its
free response converges to zero for all ICs.

simple
pendulum

Ex: Pendulum

inverted
pendulum

UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

= y0e

1
5s + 1

y (0) = y0

= y0e 5

1
5s + 1

p = 0.2

G=

y (t )

5 y& + y = u ( t )

TF:
Pole:

1
t

y (0) = y0

Q: free response of a 1st order system.

Examples (stable and unstable 1st order

systems)

y (t )

G=

p = 0.2

1
t
5

Q: free response of a 1st order system.

5 y& + y = u ( t )

TF:
Pole:

UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

Stability of LTI Systems

Stability Criterion for LTI Systems
All poles lie in the left-half complex plane (LHP)

y ( n ) + an 1 y ( n 1) + L + a1 y& + a0 y = bm u ( m ) + bm1 u ( m1) + L + b1 u& + b0 u

Stable

Im

Marginally
stable/``unstable

Re

Unstable

Characteristic Polynomial

All roots of D( s ) = s n + an 1s n 1 + L + a1s + a0 = 0 lie in the LHP

14444244443

Absolutely
Stable
Relative
Stability
(gain/phase margin)

Complex (s-plane)

UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

Stability of LTI Systems

Comments on LTI Stability
Stability of an LTI system does not depend on the input (why?)

Stable a0 > 0
Stable a1 > 0 and a2 > 0

For 1st and 2nd order systems, stability is guaranteed if all the
coefficients of the characteristic polynomial are positive (of same
sign).
D( s ) = s + a0
:
D( s ) = s 2 + a1s + a0 :

Effect of Poles and Zeros on Stability

Stability of a system depends on its poles only.
Zeros do not affect system stability.
Zeros affect the specific dynamic response of the system.
UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

Introduction
In terms of linear systems, we recognize that the stability requirement
may be de fined in terms of the location of the poles of the closedclosed-loop
transfer function. The closedclosed-loop system transfer function is written as

The output response for an impulse function input (N=0)

Refer text book p294

UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

Routh-Hurwitz Criterion for

Stability
Using this criterion we can tell how
many closed-loop poles are: in the
RHP, in the LHP, and on the j
-axis.
Two-step method:
Generate a data table called the Routh
array.
Interpret the array.
7

UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

Initial Step in Generating a

Routh Array

First two rows of

array are
obtained directly
from the
characteristic
polynomial.

KUTKM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

Completing the array

Each
subsequent row
is completed
from the
previous two
rows. Missing
terms are
treated as zeros.

KUTKM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

Example 5.1
Consider again the Characteristic Equation given below

UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

The Routh array is

where

Since there are two sign changes on the first column (from 1
to 6 and from 6 to 8), there are two roots of the
polynomial in the right halfhalf-plane.
plane. The System is Unstable

UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

Example 5.2
As an example of case 2, consider the polynomial

UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

The Routh array is calculated to be

In the preceding calculations, the

limits were taken as 0 at
convenient points in the calculations
rather than waiting until the array
was complete..
complete.. From the array we
see that there are two sign changes
in the first column whether e is
assumed positive or negative.
negative. The
number of sign changes in the first
column is always independent of the
assumed sign of e,
which leads to the conclusion that
the system that falls under case 2 is
always unstable.
unstable. The
UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

Calculation process

UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

EXAMPLE 5.3
a. Feedback
system;
b. equivalent
closed-loop
system
Any row can be
multiplied by a
positive
constant without
changing the
values of
subsequent
rows. Two sign
changes in 1st
column indicate
two RHP poles.
UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems

EXAMPLE 5.4
Determining signs in
first column of a Routh
table with zero as first
element in a row
C (s)
10
=
R( s ) s5 + 2 s 4 + 3s3 + 6s 2 + 5s + 3

Two sign changes in 1st column

indicate two RHP poles. .
roots([1 2 3 6 5 3])
ans =
0.3429 + 1.5083i
0.3429 - 1.5083i
-1.6681
-0.5088 + 0.7020i
-0.5088 - 0.7020i
UTeM BMCM 3733 System Stability of Linear feedback Control Systems