TRANSIENT RESPONSE

Once a mathematical model has been derived for a control system,

Two most popular techniques can be applied to analyze the system
performance.
a. Transient response (time response ) analysis.
b. Frequency response analysis.
The time response of the system when subjected to an input as
dependent upon its characteristics, which are in turn, completely
described its transfer function.
(Real) time response provides the ultimate test of the system performance
because the real-world event take time as the function of time.
Through transient response analysis, the real time behavior can be determined
without ever subjecting the actual analysis to a real time input
The time response is the output response (in time) of a system
when subjected to an input.
A control system is subjected to a dynamic input (set point) and
load (disturbance) conditions.
In some control systems the input is changing continuously, ie
a servomotor controlling the movement of a pen in a plotter or
a sun-tracking system in a modern solar-power plant
In some systems, changes in input may be less frequent,
but the load on the system may be changing all the time,
as in a home heating system
Total response is the response of the system from the time of application of
input to the point when the time approaches infinity.
Total response consists two part:
a. The transient response and
b. Steady state response
The transient response is the response of the system from the time of
application of input to the time when the output has reached steady state.
The transient response of a system is a function of its transfer function.
Steady state response is the system response after the transients have died
and output has settled (time response after transient response).
In the study of control systems, transient response is more
significance than steady state response.
It dictates the manner in which the steady-state is reached
While steady state response indicates the residual error(offset)
in the controlled variable.
▪ After describing a valuable analysis and design tool, poles
and zeros
▪ analyzing our models to find the step response of first-
and second-order systems
▪ The output response of a system is the sum of two responses:
the forced response and the natural response
▪ Other techniques, such as solving a differential
▪ equation or taking the inverse Laplace transform, enable
us to evaluate this output response, these techniques are
laborious and time-consuming.
 Poles of a Transfer Function

▪ The use of poles and zeros and their relationship to the time
response of a system is such a technique.
▪ The poles of a transfer function are the value, s, of the
Laplace transform variables, that cause the transfer function to
become infinite
▪ the roots of the characteristic polynomial in the denominator
are values of s that make the transfer function infinite, so they
are thus poles
 Zeros of a Transfer Function

▪ The use of poles and zeros and their relationship to the time
response of a system is such a technique.
▪ The zeros of a transfer function are the values of the
Laplace transform variable, s, that cause the transfer
function to become zero,
▪ The zeros of a transfer function are (1) the values of the
Laplace transform variable, s, that cause the transfer function to
become zero,
 Poles and Zeros of a First-Order System

Given the transfer function G(s) Figure 1

a pole exists at s = -5, and a zero exists at -2
To show the properties of the poles and zeros, let us find the unit
step response of the system
Multiplying the transfer function of Figure 1 by a step function
yields
1
R (s) = s+2 C (s)
s
( s + 5)
Evolution of a system response.
1. A pole of the input function generates the
form of the forced response
2. A pole of the transfer function generates
the form of the natural response .
3. A pole on the real axis generates an
exponential response of the form eat,
where a is the pole location on the real
axis. Thus, the farther to the left a pole is
on the negative real axis, the faster the
exponential transient response will decay
to zero
4. The zeros and poles generate the
amplitudes for both the forced and natural
responses
 Evaluating Response Using Poles
Example
Given the system of Figure 2, write the output, c(t), in general
terms. Specify the forced and natural parts of the solution.
1
R (s) = C (s)
s ( s + 3)
( s + 2 )( s + 4 )( s + 5)
 K1 K 2 K3 K4
C (s) = + + +
s s+2 s+4 s+5
Forced Natural
response response

Taking the inverse Laplace transform

c ( t ) = K1 + K 2e −2t + K 3e −4t + K 4e −5t

Forced Natural
response response
 10 ( s + 4 )( s + 6 )
G (s) =
A system has a transfer function ( s + 2 )( s + 7 )( s + 8)( s + 10 )
Write, by inspection, the output, c(t), in general terms if the
input is a unit step

c ( t ) = A + Be −2 t
+ Ce −7 t
+ De −8t
+ Ee −10 t
It is found that poles determine the nature of the time response:
❖Poles of the input function determine the form of the forced response, and
poles of the transfer function determine the form of the natural response.
❖Zeros and poles of the input or transfer function contribute to
the amplitudes of the component parts of the total response.
❖Finally, poles on the real axis generate exponential responses.
 First-Order Systems
Determine the time response of the system in Figure below
when subjected to a unit impulse
R (s) 1 1 C (s) C ( s ) = TF ( s ) R ( s )
1 1
s +1 s TF ( s ) = 
( s + 1) s
R ( s ) = L  ( t )  = 1
1 1
C (s) =  1
( s + 1) s
 1 
L C ( s )  = L  
 s ( s + 1) 
c ( t ) = 1 − e−t
 First-Order Systems
C ( s ) = TF ( s ) R ( s )
1 1
TF ( s ) = 
( s + 1) s
R ( s ) = L  ( t )  = 1
Input
System
1 1
C (s) =  1
( s + 1) s
 1 
L C ( s )  = L  
 s ( s + 1) 
c ( t ) = 1 − e−t
 First-Order Systems
A dc motor – speed control system regulates the motor velocity
based upon the control voltage applied to it. It is applied with
control voltage of 10V dc. Determine the motor velocity at the
following intervals
a. Time t = 1ms
b. Time t = 10ms
c. Time t= 100ms
d. Time t= 1 s
e. Time t approaching infinity (steady state velocity)
The motor transfer function (velocity/control voltage) is TF ( s ) = s200
+5
Velocity ( s ) = TF ( s )  Control voltage ( s )
10
Control voltage ( s ) = L 10 =
s
200 10
Velocity ( s ) = 
( s + 5) s
2000
Velocity ( s ) =
s ( s + 5)
 2000 
L Velocity ( s )  = L  
 s ( s + 5) 
Velocity ( t ) =
2000
5
(1 − e −5t
)
Velocity ( t ) = 400 (1 − e −5t )
 First-Order Systems
The first order can be described by the transfer function shown in
the figure First-order systems without
R (s) a C (s) zeros to define a
(s + a) performance specification
for such a system
1
The input is unit step which is, R ( s ) = and the step response is
s

a
C (s) = R (s)G (s) =
s (s + a)
Taking the inverse transform, the step response is given by

c ( t ) = c f ( t ) + cn ( t ) e − at
= 1+ e − at
 First-Order Systems
where the input pole at the origin generated the forced response
Cf(t)=1, and the system pole at -a,
c ( t ) = c f ( t ) + cn ( t ) e = 1 − e
− at − at

Generated the natural response cn ( t ) = −e − at

a
C (s) = R (s)G (s) =
s (s + a)
 First-Order Systems
Let us examine the significance of parameter a, the only
parameter needed to describe the transient response
t =1 a
− at −1
e = e = 0.37
t =1 a

c ( t ) = 1 − e − at
c ( t ) t =1 a = 1 − e = 0.63
−1
 First-Order Systems
Therefore, the three equations define three transient response
performance specifications.
c ( t ) = c f ( t ) + cn ( t ) e − at = 1 + e − at
t =1 a
− at −1
e = e = 0.37
t =1 a

c (t ) = 1 − e − at

c ( t ) t =1 a = 1 − e = 0.63−1
 First-Order Systems
Time Constant is the time for e − at to decay to 37% of its initial
value.
Time constant is the time it takes for the step response to rise to
63% of its final value

t =1 a
− at −1
e = e = 0.37
t =1 a

c ( t ) = 1 − e − at
c ( t ) t =1 a = 1 − e = 0.63
−1
 First-Order Systems
The reciprocal of the time constant is called the exponential
frequency .
− at
Since the derivative of e is a the initial rate of change of the
exponential at t = 0
Thus, the time constant is considered a transient response
specification for a first order system, since it is related to the speed a
which the system responds to a step input.
 First-Order Systems
The time constant can also be evaluated from the pole plot
(see Figure below )
Since the pole of the transfer function is at −a ,
The pole is located at the reciprocal of the time constant, and the
farther the pole from the imaginary axis, the faster the transient
response
 First-Order Systems
The transient response specifications apart form time constant is
such as
i) Rise time, Tr, and
ii) Settling time, Ts,
Rise Time, Tr
Rise time is defined as the time for the
waveform to go from 0.1 to 0.9 of its
final value.
Rise time is found by solving Equation c (t ) = 1 + e − at

of C(t) for the difference in time at c(t)

= 0.9 and c(t) = 0.1. Hence,
 First-Order Systems
Rise Time, Tr
Rise time is defined as the time for the
waveform to go from 0.1 to 0.9 of its
final value.
Rise time is found by solving Equation
of C(t) for the difference in time at c(t)
= 0.9 and c(t) = 0.1. Hence,

2.31 0.11 2.2

Tr = − =
a a a
 First-Order Systems
c ( t ) = 1 − e − at c ( t ) = 1 − e − at 2.31 0.11 2.2
0.9 = 1 − e − at
− at Tr = − =
0.1 = 1 − e a a a
− at
0.9 − 1 = −e 0.1 − 1 = −e − at

−0.1 = −e − at −0.9 = −e − at
at = ln ( 0.1) at = ln ( 0.9 )
ln ( 0.1) ln ( 0.9 )
t= t=
a a
 First-Order Systems
Settling Time, Ts c (t ) = 1 − e − at

Settling time is defined as the time for

0.98 = 1 − e − at
the response to reach, and stay within,
0.98 − 1 = e − at
2% of its final value
− at
Letting C(t)= 0.98 in equation of c(t) −0.02 = −e
and solving for time, t, at = ln ( 0.02 )
ln ( 0.02 )
4 t=
Ts = a
a
 First-Order Systems
First-Order Transfer Functions via Testing
Since the transfer function is a
representation of the system from input to
output, the system’s step response can lead
to a representation even though the inner
construction is not known.
With a step input, the time constant and
the steady-state value, from which the
transfer function can be calculated.
 First-Order Systems
First-Order Transfer Functions via Testing
Consider a simple first-order
system, whose step response is
K
G (s) =
(s + a)
K
C (s) =
s (s + a)

K a K a
C (s) = −
s (s + a)
If we can identify K and a from
laboratory testing, we can obtain
the transfer function of the
system.
 First-Order Systems
First-Order Transfer Functions via Testing
The time constant is measured ,
at the time for the amplitude to
reach 63% of its final value.
Since the final value is 0.714
Amplitude = 0.63  0.714 = 0.4498
t = 0.138 K a K a
C (s) = −
t = 0.138 s (s + a)
1 1
a= = = 7.2464 C (s) =
5.1739
t 0.138 s ( s + 7.2464 )
To find K,
K a = 0.714
5 K = 0.714a
C (s) =
s ( s + 7) K = 0.714  7.2464 = 5.1739
 First-Order Systems
A system has a transfer function G ( s ) = s + 50 Find the time constant
50

Tc, settling time Ts and rise time Tr

a
G (s) = 4 2.2
s+a Ts = Tr =
t =1 a a a
50 a = 50 a = 50
G (s) =
s + 50 4 2.2
Ts = = 0.08s Tr = = 0.044 s
t = 1 50 = 0.02 s 50 50
Problem
Evaluate the time response c(t) of the following systems.
Also find the rise time and time constant from the
response plot
1
R (s) = C (s)
s 3
s+3

1
R (s) = C (s)
s 10
s + 10
Problem
Find the output response, c(t), for each of the system
shown in the figure. Also find the time constant, the rise
time and settling time for each case
1
R (s) = C (s)
s 5
s+5
1
R (s) = C (s)
s 20
s + 20
Second-Order Systems
 Determine the response of the closed-loop system in Figure
below when subjected to a unit step C ( s ) = TF ( s ) R ( s )
forwardgain
TF ( s ) =
1 + feedbackgain  forwardgain
R (s) 1 C (s) r (t ) = 1
10 1
s +1 R ( s ) = L 1 =
s
1
10
TF ( s ) =
( s + 1)
1 1
1 + 10
( s + 1) s
1 10 s
TF ( s ) =
s s ( s + 1) + 10
C ( s ) = TF ( s ) R ( s )
10 s 1
C (s) =
s ( s + 1) + 10 s

Block diagram C (s) =

10
s 2 + s + 10
 10 
L C ( s )  = L  2
 s + s + 10 
c ( t ) = 3.2e −0.5t sin 3.12t
C ( s ) = TF ( s ) R ( s )
forwardgain
TF ( s ) =
1 + feedbackgain  forwardgain
r (t ) = 1
1
R ( s ) = L 1 =
s
1
10
TF ( s ) =
( s + 1)
1 1
1 + 10
( s + 1) s
10 s
TF ( s ) =
s ( s + 1) + 10
C ( s ) = TF ( s ) R ( s )
10 s 1
C (s) =
s ( s + 1) + 10 s
10
C (s) =
s 2 + s + 10
 10 
L C ( s )  = L  2
 s + s + 10 
c ( t ) = 3.2e −0.5t sin 3.12t
 Second-Order Systems
Overdamped Response, For this C (s) =
9
response, s ( s 2 + 9s + 9 )
9
Poles: Two real at  1, 2 C (s) =
s ( s + 7.854 )( s + 1.146 )
Natural response: Two exponentials with time
constants equal to the reciprocal of the pole
locations, or c ( t ) = K1e− t + K 2e− t
1 2
 Second-Order Systems
Underdamped Response,
9
C (s) =
s ( s 2 + 2s + 9 )
s = −1  j 8
 Second -Order Systems
Undamped Response
For this response,,
9
Poles: Two complex at  d  jd C (s) =
s ( s2 + 9)
Natural response: Damped sinusoid
with an exponential envelope whose
time constant is equal to the reciprocal
of the pole’s real part.
The radian frequency of the sinusoid,
the damped frequency of oscillation,
is equal to the imaginary part of the
poles, or
c ( t ) = Ae − t cos (d −  )
d
 Second -Order Systems
Critically Damped Response
9 9
C (s) = =
s ( s + 6 s + 9 ) s ( s + 3)
2 2

c ( t ) = K1 + K 2 e −3t + K 3e −3t
Second-Order Systems: Introduction