Steps Involved in Constructing the Root Locus

Let us consider a closed loop negative feedback system whose characteristic equation
(the roots of this equation are the closed loop poles) is given by
K ( s + z1 )( s + z2 ) ... ( s + zm )
1+ = 0.
( s + p1 )( s + p2 ) ... ( s + pn )
We shall consider the case when m ≤ n with K being a positive parameter. Here -
z1,…,-zm are the open loop zeros and -p1,…,-pn are the open loop poles. The root locus
traces the evolution of the roots of this equation with variation in K. The root locus
will have n branches/curves. The steps generally followed in constructing the root
locus for such a system are:

1. Locate the open loop zeros and poles in the complex plane: Note that each of the n
curves in the root locus will start from an open loop pole for K = 0. Out of these, m
curves will terminate at an open loop zero as K → ∞ and the remaining (n-m) curves
will go to infinity in the complex plane along “asymptotes” as K → ∞ .

2. Locate the root loci that lie on the real axis: This is determined by the open loop
poles and zeros that lie on the real axis. Choose a test point on the real axis. If the
total number of real open loop poles and real open loop zeros that lie to the right of
this test point is odd, then that point lies on the root locus.

3. Determine the asymptotes of the root loci: This step applies only when m<n. If the
test point is chosen very far away from the origin, then the angle contribution of each
open loop pole cancels with that of an open loop zero. Hence, the asymptotes (which
exist only when m<n) will be straight lines which make an angle with the positive
±180o ( 2k + 1)
real axis of , k = 0,1, 2,... The point of intersection of the asymptotes
(n − m)
⎡ ( p + p2 + ... + pn ) − ( z1 + z2 + ... + zm ) ⎤
on the real axis is given by − ⎢ 1 ⎥ (which is the
⎣⎢ ( n − m) ⎦⎥
⎡ (sum of the open loop poles ) − (sum of the open loop zeroes ) ⎤
same as calculating ⎢ ⎥ ).
⎣⎢ (n − m) ⎦⎥

4. Determine the break-away and break-in points: A break-away (break-in) point, for
example, will exist on the root locus between two consecutive open loop poles (zeros)
on the real axis with no real open loop zeros (poles) in between them. If the
A( s)
characteristic equation is written as 1 + K = 0 , then the solution of the equation
B( s)
B' (s) A(s) − B(s) A' ( s) = 0 will provide the possible values of s at which break-away
or break-in points may occur. We should select only those roots of this equation that
actually lie on the root locus as break-away or break-in points (K will be positive for
the roots which will lie on the root locus), i.e., not all the roots of this equation may
actually correspond to break-away or break-in points. But a break-away or break-in
point, if it exists, will be a root of this equation.

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5. Locate the angle of departure (angle of arrival) from an open loop complex pole
(at an open loop complex zero): The angle of departure from an open loop complex
pole = 180° - (sum of the angles made by the vectors from other open loop poles to
this pole) + (sum of the angles made by the vectors from open loop zeros to this pole).
The angle of arrival at an open loop complex zero = 180° - (sum of the angles made
by the vectors from other open loop zeros to this zero) + (sum of the angles made by
the vectors from open loop poles to this zero).

6. Determine the points where the root locus may cross the imaginary axis: These
points can be obtained by setting s = jω in the characteristic equation and solving for
the corresponding values of ω and K.

7. Sketch the root locus: Consider a set of test points in the broad neighborhood of the
origin and the imaginary axis in the complex plane and sketch the root locus.

Note that, since we are dealing with polynomials with real coefficients, the root locus
will be symmetrical with respect to the real axis. Remember that angles are measured
positive in the counterclockwise direction from the positive real axis.

Let us now consider a system with positive feedback whose characteristic equation is
K ( s + z1 )( s + z2 ) ... ( s + zm )
1− = 0,
( s + p1 )( s + p2 ) ... ( s + pn )
with all other aspects remaining the same as before (like K being a positive parameter,
etc.). Then, the following steps are modified while plotting the root locus for this
system:

2. Locate the root loci that lie on the real axis: Choose a test point on the real axis. If
the total number of real open loop poles and real open loop zeros that lie to the right
of this test point is even, then that point lies on the root locus.

3. Determine the asymptotes of the root loci: The asymptotes (which exist only when
m<n) will be straight lines which make an angle with the positive real axis of
± k 360o
, k = 0,1, 2,... The point of intersection of these asymptotes is calculated by
(n − m)
using the same formula as before.

5. Locate the angle of departure (angle of arrival) from an open loop complex pole
(at an open loop complex zero): The angle of departure from an open loop complex
pole = 0° - (sum of the angles made by the vectors from other open loop poles to this
pole) + (sum of the angles made by the vectors from open loop zeros to this pole).
The angle of arrival at an open loop complex zero = 0° - (sum of the angles made by
the vectors from other open loop zeros to this zero) + (sum of the angles made by the
vectors from open loop poles to this zero).