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18EE61 CONTROL SYSTEMS

Module_4

Root Locus Analysis

The transient response of a system plays an important role in the design of a control system. The
nature of the transient response is determined by the location of poles of the closed loop system.
Usually the loop gain of the system is adjustable and the value of this gain determines the location of
poles of the closed loop system.

Usually the roots of the characteristic equation (or the poles of the closed loop transfer function of
the system) vary when the gain of the system is varied. The locus (or the path taken) of these roots
as one parameter of the system, usually the gain, is varied over a wide range, is known as the root
locus plot of the system.

The adjustment of the system gain enables the designer to place the poles at the desired locations. If
this is not possible, a compensator or a controller has to be designed to place the closed loop poles
at desired locations.

Finding the locus of the roots of the characteristic equation when one parameter is changing is
known as Root Locus Technique. In this method, the locus of the roots of the characteristic equation
is plotted for all values of the parameter, usually the gain of the system. Once the complete locus is
obtained, all the roots for a given value of the parameter can be determined.

In obtaining the root locus, we assume that the gain is the varies from 0 to ∞ .

Basic Idea

Consider the characteristic equation of a second order system, given by s2 +as + K=0.

Assume that a is a constant and K is the variable.

Let us obtain the locus of the roots, as K is changed from 0 to ∞ .

The roots of the characteristic equation are given by,

−a ± √ a2 −4 K
s1 ,2 =
2
Since a is a constant, when K = 0, the roots are given by

−a ±a
s1 ,2 = =0 , a
2
These are plotted on the s – plane as shown:

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The two roots are real and if a is positive, one root is zero and the second root is on the negative real
axis.
2
a
As K is increased up to a value, K= , the two roots are real and negative. They lie on the negative
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real axis and always lie between 0 and −a i.e., the roots at K = 0, move along the negative real axis
−a a
2
as shown, until they meet at a point, for K= . At this value of K, the characteristic equation
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will have two equal, real and negative roots.

If K is increased further, the quantity under the radical sign becomes negative, real part remains the
same and hence the roots become complex conjugate. As K value is increased further and further,
−a
the roots move on a line perpendicular to the real axis at s= , as shown.
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The roots are given by,

s1 ,2 =
−a
2 √
±j
4 K−a2
2

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Properties of root locus

1. The root locus is symmetrical about the real axis.

2. There are n root locus branches each starting from an open loop pole for K = 0. m of these
branches terminate on m open loop zeros. The remaining n - m branches go to zero at
infinity.
3. The n−m branches going to zeros at infInity, do so along asymptotes making angles
( 2 k ± 1 ) 180
, k =0 , 1, 2. … . ( n−m−l )with the real axis.
n−m
For different values of (n - m) the angles of asymptotes are fixed.
For example if (i) n - m = 1, θ = 180° (ii) n - m = 2, θ = 90, - 90 (iii) n - m = 3, θ =60, 180,-60 (iv)
n - m = 4, θ = 45, 135, - 135, - 45 and so on.
4. The asymptotes meet the real axis at

σ=
∑ poles−∑ zeros
number of pole−number of zeros
5. Segments of real axis are parts of root locus if the total number of real poles and zeros
together to their right is odd.
6. Break-away or Break-in points. These are points in s-plane where multiple closed loop poles
dK
occur. These are the roots of the equation =0.
ds
Only those roots which satisfy the angle criterion also, are the breakaway or break-in points.
If r root locus branches break away at a point on real axis, the breakaway directions are
given by ± 180° / r
7. The angle of departure of the root locus at a complex pole is given
∅ p=± ( 2 k +1 ) 180° +∅
where ∅ is the net angle contributed by all other open loop zeros and poles at this pole.
Similarly, the angle of arrival at a complex zero is given by
∅ p=± ( 2 k +1 ) 180° +∅
where ∅ is the net angle contributed by all other open loop poles and zeros at this zero.
8. The cross over point of the root locus on the imaginary axis is obtained by using Routh
Hurwitz criterion.

After drawing the root locus for a given system, if the value of K is desired at any given point s=s 1on
the root locus, magnitude criterion can be used.

According to magnitude criterion, |G ( s ) H ( s )|=1 at s=s 1

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| |
m

∏
j=1
(s + z j )
K n
=1
∏ (s+ p i) s= s1
i=1

| |
m

∏
j =1
(s 1+ z j)
K= n

∏ (s1 + pi )
i=1

This can be evaluated graphically. |(s + pi )|is the length of the vector drawn from pi to s1 and

|(s + z j )| is the length of the vector drawn from z j to s1.

K=Product of lengths of vectors drawn ¿ open loop poles ¿ s 1 ¿ open loop ze
Product of length of vectors drawn ¿

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