BODE PLOT

Dr.R.Subasri
Professor, Kongu Engineering College,
Perundurai, Erode, Tamilnadu, INDIA

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 1
 Frequency Response Techniques
• Analysing the system on frequency basis
e.g communication systems

• Developed by Nyquist and Bode in 1930

• Older than root locus method given by

Evan in 1948

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 2
Frequency Response Techniques
– Radio telescopes used for deep space
communication require precise positioning to
function effectively. To achieve a high degree
of precision ,an accurate mathematical model
of antenna dynamics is to used.
– To construct the model, engineers can test
the antenna by vibrating it with sinusoidal
forces of different frequencies and measuring
the vibrations. These measurements form the
basis for the model.
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 3
 Chapter objectives
• Definition of frequency response
• How to plot frequency response
• How to use frequency response to analyse
stability
• How to use frequency response to design
the gain to meet stability specifications.

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 4
 Frequency Response Techniques
-Advantages
• modelling transfer functions from physical
data.
• Designing compensators to meet steady
state error and transient response
requirements.
• Finding stability of systems

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 5
 Frequency Response
• In the steady state,
sinusoidal inputs to a
linear system
generate sinusoidal
responses of the
same frequency.
• But output differs in
amplitudes and phase
angle from the input
• Differences are
function of frequency.
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 6
 Frequency Response
M i ( ) i ( ) M o ( )o ( )
M ( ) ( )

M o ( ) o ( ) = M i ( )M ( )[ i( ) +  ( )]

M o ( )
Magnitude frequency response = M ( ) =
M i ( )
Phase frequency response =
 ( ) = o ( ) − i ( )

Combination of magnitude and phase frequency responses is Frequency

response M ( ) ( )
In general Frequency response of a system with transfer function G(s) is

G ( j  ) = G ( s ) / S → j
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 7
 Frequency response plots
❖Bode plot(or)Asymptotic
Approximation Plot (or)Logarithmic
plot

❖Polar plot – Nyquist plot

❖Log Magnitude Vs phase angle

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 8
 Logarithmic Frequency Scales
On a logarithmic scale, the variable is multiplied by a
given factor for equal increments of length along the
axis.

Decade Change –log10

Octave change – log2

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 9
 Bode Plot
• Factors of a transfer function
• Constant term K
• - Pure Differentiator-zero at origin -s
-Pure Integrator – pole at origin-1/s
• First order terms
- zero at real axis 1+s
-pole at real axis 1/1+s
• Second order terms
- complex zero s2+2ns+ n2
-complex pole 1/ s2+2ns+n2
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 10
 Constant K
consatnt factor G(s) = K
consatnt factor G(s) = K
40
90
magnitude in db

phase angle in deg

20 45

0
0 0.1 1 10 100
0.1 1 10 100 -45

-20
-90
log w
log w

Magnitude plot is constant and independent of frequency

Phase plot is constant at zero and independent of

frequency
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 11
 Pure Integrator 1/s
pure integrator-pole at origin G(s)=1/s Pure Integrator G(s) = 1 / s

90

40 45

phase angle in deg

0
20 0.1 1 10 100
mag in db

-45

0 -90
0.1 1 10 100
-135
-20
-180
log w
-40
logw

starting point of magnitude plot is - 20 log  , where  is

the starting frequency in the plot. The plot starts from that
point and has the slope of - 20 db / dec.

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 12
Phase angle is - 90 - a straight line with no slope
 Pure Differentiator- s
pure differentiator-zero at origin G(s)=s Pure Differentiator G(s) = s

180

40 135

phase angle in deg

90
20
mag in db

45

0 0
0.1 1 10 100 0.1 1 10 100
-45
-20
-90
log w
-40
logw

starting point of magnitude plot is + 20 log  , where  is

the starting frequency in the plot. The plot starts from
that point and has the slope of + 20 db / dec.

Phase angle is + 90 - a straight line with no slope

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 13
 Zero at real axis - 1+s
first order term-zero at real axis First order term-zero at real axis G(s)=1+sT
G(s)=1+sT
180

40 135

phase angle in deg

90
20
45
mag in db

0
0
0.1/T 1/T 10/T 100/T
0.1/T 1/T 10/T 100/T -45
-20 -90
log wT
-40
logwT

For a constant zero at real axis, in low frequency region, phase angle
is 0 and in high frequency region, phase angle is + 90,in between the
slope is + 45 / dec.
For a constant zero at real axis, find the corner frequency c = 1/T.Up
to c,the magnitude plot is a straight line at 0 db and beyond c, the
plot has a line of slope + 20 db / dec.
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 14
 Pole at real axis - 1/s+T

For a constant pole at real axis, in low frequency region, phase angle is
0 and in high frequency region, phase angle is -90,in between the
slope is - 45 / dec.

For a constant zero at real axis, find the corner frequency c = T. Up to

c,the magnitude plot is a straight line at 0 db and beyond c, the plot
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 15
has a line of slope - 20 db / dec.
 Complex zero - s2+2ns+n2
second order term- complex zero
second order term- complex zero

180
100
135

phase angle in deg

80 90
60 45
mag in db

40 0
-45 0.1 1 10 100
20
-90
0
-135
-20 0.1 1 10 100
-180
-40 log w
log w

For a complex zero, find the corner frequency c =n .Up to c,the
magnitude plot is a straight line at +40 log n and beyond c, the plot
has a line of slope + 40 db / dec.
For a complex zero, in low frequency region, phase angle is 0 and in
high frequency region, phase angle is + 180,in between the slope is
+ 90 / dec. Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 16
 Complex pole - 1/ s2+2ns+n2
second order term- complex pole
second order term- complex pole

180
135
40

phase angle in deg

90
20
45
0 0
mag in db

-20 0.1 1 10 100 -45 0.1 1 10 100

-40 -90

-60 -135
-180
-80
log w
-100
log w

For a complex pole,find the corner frequency c =n .Up to c,the

magnitude plot is a straight line at -40 log n and beyond c, the plot has
a line of slope - 40 db / dec.

For a complex zero, in low frequency region, phase angle is 0 and in

high frequency region, phase angle is - 180,in between the slope is
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 17
- 90 / dec.
 Bode Magnitude plot
• For a constant K, magnitude in db is 20
log K-a straight line with no slope

• For a zero at origin or a pole at origin,(s or

1/s) starting point of magnitude plot is  20
log  , where  is the starting frequency in
the plot. The plot starts from that point and
has the slope of  20 db / dec.

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 18
 Bode Magnitude plot
• For a constant zero at real axis or a pole at
real axis(s+T or 1 / s=T),find the corner
frequency c = T.
Up to c,the magnitude plot is a straight line
at 0 db and beyond c, the plot has a line of
slope  20 db / dec.

• For a complex zero or pole in the form

s2+2ns+n2, find the corner frequency c =n.
Up to c,the magnitude plot is a straight line at
40 log n and beyond c, the plot has a line of
slope  40 db / dec.

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 19
 Bode Phase plot
• For a constant K, Phase angle is 0- a
straight line with no slope

• For a zero at origin or a pole at origin,(s or

1/s)- Phase angle is  90-a straight line
with no slope

• For a constant zero at real axis or a pole

at real axis(s+T or 1 / s+T), in low
frequency region, phase angle is 0 and in
high frequency region, phase angle is 
90,in between the slope is  45 / dec.
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 20
 Bode Phase plot
• For a complex zero or pole, in low
frequency region, phase angle is 0 and in
high frequency region, phase angle is 
180,in between the slope is  90 / dec.

• Low frequency region - the frequencies up

to one decade below the corner frequency
• High frequency region -all the frequencies
beyond one decade above the corner
frequency

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 21
 Starting point in Bode Plot
Magnitude plot
• Sum of the contributions of
• 1. Constant term K ------------ 20 log K
• 2. Zero or pole at origin---------  20 log  ,
where  is the starting frequency in the plot
• 3.real zero or pole -------------- 20 log T
• 3. Complex zero or pole-------- 40 log n

Phase plot
Contribution from
• zero at origin or a pole at origin,(s or 1/s) which
is  90. Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 22
 Bode magnitude Plot-Example
G(s) = 2s/(s+1)(s+10)
Factor Corner frequency Magnitude in slope
c db
2 -- 20 log 2 -
s - 20 log  20 db / dec
1/1+s 1 Up to =1,20 +20 – 20 =
log1=0 db & 0 0 db / dec.
slope
Beyond =1,-
20 db / dec
1 /s+10 10 Up to =10, - 0 – 20 =
20 log 10 db -20 db /dec
& 0 slope
Beyond =10,-
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 23
20 db / dec
 Bode magnitude Plot-Example
Magnitude plot

40

20
mag in db

0
0.01 0.1 1 10 100
-20

-40
log w

Let the starting frequency  = 0.1, then starting point of the

plot is:20 log 2 + 20 logDr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA
0.1-20 log1-20 log 10= -34 db 24
 40db/dec

20db/dec

-20db/dec

90/dec

45/dec

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 25
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 26
 Phase plot –slope contribution
Start of Start of 1 End of End of 1
1/1+s /1+s/10 1/1+s /1+s/10

 0.1 1 10 100
1/1+s -45 -45 - -

1 - -45 -45 -
/1+s/10
Total -45 / dec -90/ dec -45/ dec -
slope
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 27
 Phase plot
Phase plot

180
135
90
phase angle

45
0
-45 0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000
-90
-135
-180
log w

The system has one zero at origin, plot starts at +90.

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 28
 Plot to transfer function
Magnitude plot

0
1 2.5 10 25 50
mag in db

-4

-8

-12
log w

Change in magnitude in db(y axis) = slope x

difference in frequency (x axis)

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 29
 Plot to transfer function
• Step 1:
Change in magnitude in db = -20 x (log 2.5 – log 1)
= -7.95
= -12 + starting db(y axis)
Starting db = - 4.05db

• Step 2:
From the starting point ,there is a slope of -20 db / dec,
hence there is a pole at origin
Starting db = 20 log K -20 log 
At =1,
-4.05 = 20 log K -20 log 1+20 log 2.5+20 log 10-20 log
25

K=0.627 Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 30
 Plot to transfer function
• Step 3:
First corner frequency is 2.5
Beyond =2.5 , the slope is changed from -20 db / dec
to zero db / dec, hence there should be a zero at 2.5
Factor is s+ 2.5
• Step 4:
Second corner frequency is 10
Beyond =10 , the slope is changed from 0 db / dec to
+20 db / dec, hence there should be a zero at 10
Factor is s+ 10
• Step 3:
Third corner frequency is 25
Beyond =25, the slope is changed from= 20 db / dec to
0 db / dec, hence there should be a pole at 25
Factor is 1/s+25
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 31
0.627(s+2.5) (s+10)/s (s+25)
Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 32
Thank you

Dr.R.Subasri,KEC,INDIA 33