Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering

401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor

Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

92-321 Control Theory

Fall 2014
Midterm Exam 2
Engineering is a professional faculty, and as a student of engineering, it is expected that you will behave in a
professional manner during your exam, and abide by the following standards of conduct.
1. Unless explicitly allowed, a candidate must not give assistance to, or receive assistance from, or communicate in any manner with any person other than the examiner or proctors. A candidate who is involved
in such activity may be subject to disciplinary procedures of the University.
2. The possession of any telecommunications device is strictly prohibited during an exam, and will be considered as cheating, whether it is used or not. Students found with said devices may be subject to to
disciplinary procedures of the University. If you are in possession of any telecommunications devices,
identify yourself to the proctor and surrender them immediately for the duration of the exam. Please note
that the University is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
3. The possession of any unauthorized aids during an exam will be considered as cheating, whether it is used
or not. Students found with said materials may be subject to disciplinary procedures of the University.
4. Be prepared to hand in your exam to the proctors immediately after time expires. Students who delay
collection of the exams by the proctor (i.e., they must wait for you to finish writing, sign your name, etc.,)
may be subject to downward adjustment of their grade.
5. Remain seated quietly until all the exams have been collected, not just your own. Recognize that other
students are still holding their exams and could be influenced by any discussions. There will be plenty of
opportunity to discuss the exam outside the hall.
6. Each student will be allowed a maximum of three inquiries regarding the exam material; further requests
for clarification will be denied. If you have uncertainties about the exam, make sure you have read the
entire question, state your assumptions, and proceed. Do not waste the examiners time by asking questions
regarding the correctness of your solution.
7. Answer all questions, to the best of your ability.

Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering

401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Question 1
Consider the three tank system shown in Figure 1. Liquid flows into tank A, with a volume flow rate of qi , and
between the first two tanks through an interconnecting tube. Both the flow between the tanks, and the flow
out of tank B can be treated as laminar, and therefore linearly proportional to pressure. The flow out of tank B
falls freely, and collects in tank C on the floor below.
Table 1: Two tank system parameters
Parameter
Value
AA
9.81 m2
RA
2000 m1 s1
AB
4.91 m2
RB
2000 m1 s1
AC
2.45 m2

a) Write the state space equations that describe the level of liquid in each tank. Hint: use conservation of
volume.
b) Find the eigenvalues of the system matrix, and describe the information that you retrieve.
c) Find the eigenvectors of the system matrix, and describe the information that you retrieve.

BP
c
Minaker PhD PEng 2014

Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering

401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

qi

qAB

hA

qBC

AA

AB
RA

RB

hC
AC
Figure 1: Three tank system

BP
c
Minaker PhD PEng 2014

Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering

401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Solution
a) Write the conservation equations.
AAhA = qi qo
g
AAhA = qi (hA hB )
RA
q
g
g
hA = i
hA +
hB
AA AARA
AA R A
AB hB = qi qo
g
g
AB hB =
(hA hB )
hB
RA
RB

g
g
hB = g hA
+
hB
AB R A
AB R A AB R B
AC hC = qi qo
hC = g hB
AC R B
g
AA R A
hA
hB = g
AB R A

hC
0

g
AA R A

g
AB R A

g
AC R B

g
AB R B

1
0 h
A
AA
0 h B + 0 q i
h
0
0
C

0.0005 0.0005 0 hA
0.102
hA
hB = 0.001
0.002 0 hB + 0 qi

0
0.002 0 hC
0
hC
b) Find the eigenvalues
det[Is A] = 0

s + 0.0005 0.0005 0
s + 0.002 0
[Is A] = 0.001
0
0.002 s
det[Is A] = (s + 0.0005)(s + 0.002)(s) (0.0005)(0.001)(s) = 0


det[Is A] = s (s2 + 0.0025s + 0.000001 0.0000005 = 0

BP
c
Minaker PhD PEng 2014

Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering

401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

s=

0.0025

0.00252 4(0.0000005)
2

s = 0, 2.2808e 03, 2.1922e 04

There are three roots, but one is zero, indicating that the system will never come to steady state. This
is obvious by inspection of the system. The other two roots are negative real, and so indicate stable
exponential decay, but with very different speeds. The fast one has as time constant of 438 seconds or 7.3
minutes, the slow one 4562 seconds or 76 minutes.
c) To find the eigenvectors
[Is A]X = 0

s + 0.0005 0.0005 0 h1
s + 0.002 0 h2 = 0
[Is A]X = 0.001
0
0.002 s h3
Substitute first eigenvalue
s=0

0.0005 0.0005 0 h1
0.002
0 h2 = 0
[Is A]X = 0.001
0
0.002 0 h3

Last eqn says h2 = 0 and first says h1 = h2 , and h3 can be anything, so set it at one.

0
X1 = 0
1
This makes sense. The first two tanks can reach steady values with a constant in flow, but tank three can
only continue to increase. The second eigenvalue:
s = 2.28e 03

0.00178
0.0005
0
h1
h2 = 0
0.000281
0
[Is A]X = 0.001
0
0.002
0.00228 h3

Set h1 = 1, and solve first equation for h2 , then third for h3 .

1.00
X 2 = 3.56
3.12

BP
c
Minaker PhD PEng 2014

Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering

401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

The last eigenvalue

s = 2.19e 04

0.000281 0.0005
0
h1
h2 = 0
0.00178
0
[Is A]X = 0.001
0
0.002 0.000219 h3

Set h1 = 1, and solve first equation for h2 , then third for h3 .

1.00
X 3 = 0.562
5.12
In the zero mode, the vector indicates that tank C will continue to fill, even when the other tanks are at
a constant level. In the fast mode, tank B empties while tanks A and C fill, with tank C filling about three
times faster than tank A. In the slow mode, tanks A and B empty into tank C, with A training about twice
as fast as B, and C filling about 5 times faster than A drains.

BP
c
Minaker PhD PEng 2014

Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering

401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Question 2
A truck is towing a trailer carrying a ride-on lawnmower. A simple schematic drawing is shown in Figure 2.
The trailer bounces vertically due to imperfections in the road, causing the lawnmower to bounce on the trailer.
Assume the trailer and the lawnmower both have simple suspensions that can be modelled as linear springs,
and that damping and friction can be neglected. Ignore any pitching motion of the trailer or the lawnmower,
and the effects of the mass or stiffness of the tires. Allow that the combined stiffness of the trailer springs is k t ,
and the combined stiffness of the lawnmower springs is km .
Table 2: Trailer and lawnmower parameters
Parameter
Value
mt
250 kg
mm
150 kg
kt
5000 N/m
km
7500 N/m

a) Write the four state space equations describing the vertical motion of the trailer and the lawnmower. Use
x t , vt , as the states of the trailer, and x m , vm as the states of the mower. Put the states in the following
order: [x m , x t , vm , vt ]. Allow that the input causing the motion is the vertical location of the road x 0 , and
that the output of interest is x m .
b) Convert the resulting state space to a transfer function that relates the position of the lawnmower to the
vertical location of road. See the attached useful information sheet for expressions.
c) Find the two natural frequencies of the system. Hint: you will need the relations: r = s2 , r 2 = s4 .
d) If the road can be approximated as a sinusoid with an amplitude of 0.05 m, and a wavelength of = 5 m,
and the truck is travelling with a forward speed of s = 10 m/s, find an expression for the resulting vertical
motion of the lawnmower as a function of time. Hint: = 2 s

BP
c
Minaker PhD PEng 2014

Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering

401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

xm
springs with total stiffness km
xt

springs with total stiffness k t

x0
Figure 2: A trailer and lawnmower

BP
c
Minaker PhD PEng 2014

Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering

401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Solution
a) The equations of motion
xm = vm
x t = vt
mm vm + km (x m x t ) = 0
vm =

km
km
xt
xm = 0
mm
mm

m t vt + km (x t x m ) + k t (x t x 0 ) = 0
km
km
kt
kt
xm
xt
xt =
x0
mt
mt
mt
mt

0
0
1 0 x
0
xm
m

0
0
0
0
1

x t
xt + x
km
= k
vm 0 0
0
0
vm mmm

mm


kt
km
km +k t
vt
vt

0
0
mt
mt
mt


0
xm
0
0
1 0 x m

xt
0
0 1 x t
0
0
+ x0
=

0
vm
50 50 0 0 vm

vt
20
vt
30 50 0 0

x m

 xt
xm = 1 0 0 0
v

vt
vt =

b) Converting to transfer function

s
0
1 0
s
0 1
0
[Is A] =

50 50 s
0
30 50
0
s




 s

 0

0
1
s
1




det[Is A] = s  50 s 0  1  50 50 0 
 50 0 s 
 30 50
s 

det[Is A] = s(s3 + 50s) 1(50s2 502 + 50(30)) = s4 + 100s2 + 1000

0
0 0 0 0
 0 0 0 0
0 
BC = 1 0 0 0 =

0 0 0 0
0
20
20 0 0 0
9

BP
c
Minaker PhD PEng 2014

Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering

401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

s
0
1 0
s
0 1
0
[Is A + BC] =

50 50 s
0
10 50
0
s

det[Is A + BC] = s(s3 + 50s) 1(50s2 502 + 50(10)) = s4 + 100s2 + 2000

det[Is A + BC] det[Is A] = 1000
1000
s4 + 100s2 + 1000
Note the matching values in the numerator, and the constant term in the denominator. This means at very
low frequencies (s = i, 0) that G(s) will tend to one. This makes sense: if you drive over a bump
very slowly, the motion of the lawnmover will be the same as the road profile.
c) From the denominator of the transfer function
G(s) =

det[Is A] = s4 + 100s2 + 1000 = r 2 + 100r + 1000 = 0

p
100 10000 4000 100 77.46
r=
=
= 88.73, 11.27
2
2
p
s = r = 9.42i, 3.36i
The purely imaginary roots indicate oscillatory response, with no decay. We have ignored damping, so
this makes sense. Converting units gives natural frequencies of 1.50 Hz, and 0.535 Hz.
d) Find the frequency response
10
= 2
= 4 rad/s
5
s = 4i
1000
G(i) = 4
1002 + 1000
1000
G(4i) =
= 0.0986
(4)4 100(4)2 + 1000
|G(4i)| = 0.0986

0.0
1
= tan
=0
0.0986
x m = (0.0986)(0.05) sin(4t) = 0.00478 sin(4t) m

10

BP
c
Minaker PhD PEng 2014

Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering

401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Useful Information
Useful Information

C=

F(s)
1

f(t)
(t)

1
s

us (t)

1
s+a

eat

b
s2 +b2

sin bt

s
s2 +b2

cos bt

b
(s+a)2 +b2

eat sin bt

s+a
(s+a)2 +b2

eat cos bt

c1

c2

c3

det[Is A + BC] det[Is A]

+D
det[Is A]
det[Is (A BC)] det[Is A]
=
+D
det[Is A]
=

Complex numbers
The magnitude of a complex number

 p
 c + di 
c2 + d 2


 a + bi  = p 2
a + b2
The angle of a complex number

df
dt

df
dt

sF (s) f (0)




t=0

d2 f
d t2

State space
For a transfer function of the form
G(s) =

c0

G(s) = C[Is A]1 B + D

Laplace transforms

s2 F (s) s f (0)

c3 s3 + c2 s2 + c1 s + c0
s4 + d3 s3 + d2 s2 + d1 s + d0

A possible state space representation is

0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
A=

0
0
0
1
d0 d1 d2 d3

0
0
B=

0
1

c + di
a + bi

= t an1

d
b
t an1
c
a

Determinants
The determinant of a matrix A is computed by choosing any row or column, proceeding along this row or
column, multiplying each entry of the row or column
by the determinant of the minor (i.e, the matrix, with
the row and column of the current entry ommitted.)
Additionally, the sign of every other entry is reversed.
This relies on the recognition that the determinant of
a 2x2 matrix is the product of the main diagonal, less
the product of the off-diagonal. For example, using the
first column

a11 a12 a13

A = a21 a22 a23
a31 a32 a33
det[A] =a11 (a22 a33 a23 a32 )

a21 (a12 a33 a13 a32 )

+ a31 (a12 a23 a13 a22 )
11

BP
c
Minaker PhD PEng 2014

Department of Mechanical, Automotive, & Materials Engineering

401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
519-253-3000
www.uwindsor.ca

Eigen analysis

Dynamics
det[Is A] = 0

The equations of motion for translation

[Is A]X~ = 0

F~ = m~
aG

For an eigenvalue s = a bi, the natural frequency and

The equations of motion for rotation for planar probdamping ratio are
p
lems can be written using A, an arbitrary point as a
n = a 2 + b 2
reference
~ A = I A
a
M
~ + ~rG/A m~
aA
= p
a2 + b2
or
a = n
~ A = IG
M
~ + ~rG/A m~
aG

2
b = d = 1 n
If the point A is chosen as either the centre of mass, G,
or a fixed point, O, the equations can be simplified

Frequency response

~ G = IG
M
~

s = i
or
r =

1 22 n

12

~ O = IO
M
~

BP
c
Minaker PhD PEng 2014