Root Locus Analysis (1)

Hany Ferdinando
Dept. of Electrical Eng.
Petra Christian University

General Overview
This section discusses how to plot the

Root Locus method

Step by step procedure is used inline with
an example
Finally, some comments are given as the
complement for this section

Why Root Locus

Closed-loop poles location determine the

stability of the system

Closed-loop poles location is influenced
as the gain is varied
Root locus plot gives designer information
how the gain variation influences the
stability of the system

Plot Example
Root Locus

4
3

Imaginary Axis

2
1
0
-1
-2
-3
-4
-6

-5

-4

-3

-2
Real Axis

-1

Important Notes:
Poles are drawn as x while zeros are

drawn as o
Gain at poles is zero, while gain at zeros
is infinity
Pole is the starting point and it must finish
at zero; therefore, for every pole there
should be corresponding zero
Root locus is plot on the s plane

Standardization
R(s)

G(s)

C(s)

H(s)
C ( s)
G ( s)

R( s) 1 G ( s) H ( s)
Find Characteristic Equation!!

1 + G(s)H(s) = 0

How to make it?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Start from the characteristic equation

Locate the poles and zeros on the s plane
Determine the root loci on the real axis
Determine the asymptotes of the root loci
Find the breakaway and break-in points
Determines the angle of departure (angle of
arrival) from complex poles (zeros)
Find the points where the root loci may cross
the imaginary axis

Example (1)
K
G(s)
s ( s 1)( s 2)

H (s) 1

K
1
0
s ( s 1)( s 2)

1. Start from the characteristic equation

Example (2)
1.5

Imaginary Part

1
0.5
0
-0.5
-1
-1.5
-3

-2.5

-2

-1.5

-1
-0.5
Real Part

0.5

1.5

2. Locate the poles and zeros on the s plane

Example (3)
1.5

Imaginary Part

1
0.5
0
-0.5
-1
-1.5
-3

-2.5

-2

-1.5

-1
-0.5
Real Part

0.5

1.5

3. Determine the root loci on the real axis

Example (4a)
180o (2k 1)

30
[0 (1) (2)] [0]

1
30

4. Determine the asymptotes of the root loci

Example (4b)
1.5

Imaginary Part

1
0.5
0
-0.5
-1
-1.5
-3

-2.5

-2

-1.5

-1
-0.5
Real Part

0.5

1.5

4. Determine the asymptotes of the root loci

Example (5)
From the characteristic equation, find

K ( s 3 3s 2 2 s )
then calculate
dK
(3s 2 6 s 2) 0
ds

s = -0.4266 and s = -1.5744

5. Find the breakaway and break-in point

Example (6)
This example has no complex
poles and zeros, therefore,
this step can be skipped!!!

pole = 0 sum from pole + sum from zero

zero = 0 sum from zero + sum from pole
6. Determine the angle from complex pole/zero

Example (7)
Do this part by substituting j for all s in the
characteristic equation
( j )3 3( j ) 2 2( j ) K 0
( K 3 2 ) j (2 3 ) 0

= 2, K = 6 or = 0, K = 0
7. Find the points where the root loci may cross the
imaginary axis

Example (8)
Root Locus
1.5

Imaginary Axis

0.5

-0.5

-1

-1.5
-3

-2.5

-2

-1.5

-1

-0.5

Real Axis

0.5

1.5

Comments
K(s m b1s m 1 ... b m )
G(s) H(s)
s n a 1s n 1 ... a n

nth degree algebraic equation in s

If n-m2 then a1 is negative sum of the roots of
the equation and is independent of K

It means if some roots move on the locus toward the

left as K increased then the other roots must move
towards the right as K is increased

Root Locus in Matlab

Function rlocus(num,den) draws the Root Locus
of a system. Another version in state space is
rlocus(A,B,C,D)
The characteristic equation

num
1
0
den

Those functions are for negative

feedback (normal transfer function)

Next
Topic for the next meeting is Root Locus
in positive feedback