Chapter 5: Root Locus

Two Conditions for Plotting Root Locus

Given open-loop transfer function Gk(s)
m
Characteristic equation K g  ( s  zi )
Gk  s   n
i 1
 1
 (s  p )
j 1
j

Magnitude Condition and Argument Condition

n

 | (s  p ) |
j m n
 ( s  zi )   ( s  p j )  (2k  1) , k  0,1,2..
j 1
Kg  m

 | ( s  zi ) |
i 1
i 1 j 1
 Rules for Plotting Root Locus

Content Rules
1 Continuity and Symmetry Symmetry Rule
Starting and end points n segments start from n open-loop
2 Number of segments poles, and end at m open-loop zeros
and (n-m) zeros at infinity.
3 Segments on real axis On the left of an odd number of poles
or zeros
4 Asymptote n-m segments：
(2k  1)
＝  , k  0,1,2,
nm
n m
5 Asymptote  ( p )   ( z )
j 1
j
i 1
i


nm

3
 Breakaway d [ F s ] F s   Ps   K g Z s   0
0
6 ds
and break-in
points Ps Zs   Ps Z s   0

m n
1 1

i 1 zi  

j 1 pi  

Angle of emergence m n

Angle of  p   (2k  1)   i    j
i 1 j 1
7 emergence and Angle of entry j p
entry n m
 z   (2k  1)    j   i
j 1 i 1
i z
8 Cross on the Substitute s = j to characteristic equation
imaginary axis and solve
Routh’s formula

4
 Rule 6: Breakaway and Break-in Points on the
Real Axis
j j
Breakaway point Break-in point

 

Use the following necessary condition

dGs H s  d  1  dK g
 0 or    0 or 0
ds ds  Gs H s  ds
1 1
Ps Zs   Ps Z s   0  
s  zi s  pj
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Example 5.3.1: Given the open-loop transfer function,
please draw the root locus.
k ( s  3)
G ( s) H ( s) 
( s  1)( s  2)

-3 -2 -1

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 Example 5.3.2: Given the open-loop transfer function
K * ( s  1) j
Gk ( s )  s1
s2
please prove that the root locus in the 
complex plane is a circle. 0

s2

Conclusion: For the open-loop transfer function with one

zero and two poles, the root locus of characteristic equation
is probably a circle in the complex plane.
Example 5.3.3: K
G( s) H ( s) 
s( s  1)(s  2)

j1.414
K=6

-2 -1 -0.42

K=6
-j1.414
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8
Example 5.3.4:
k
G(s )H (s ) 
(s  1)2(s  1  j 18 )(s  1  j 18 )

j3.16
k =121
Breakaway

-1
k =121
-j3.16

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Example 5.3.5
R s   K  0 .5 C s 

 s  s 0.5s  1

Please sketch the root locus with respect to K=[0,+∞).

 Extension of Root Locus
m
Canonical form  (s  z )
i
Conventional
Gk ( s )  K g  i 1
 1
n Root Locus
 (s  p )
j 1
j

Root locus gain

1. How to sketch the root locus

for other parameters? Parameter Root Locus
2. How to sketch if Gk(s)=1  Zero-degree Root Locus

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 5.3.2 Parameter Root Locus
Example 5.3.6: Ks is a ramp feedback
gain, please sketch the root locus with
respect to Ks=[0,+∞).
s 2  (2  10K s )s  10  0 s 2  2s  10  10K s s  0
198o 10 K s s
1 0
s  2s  10
2

1  G' (s) H ' (s)  0

108o 10 K s s
G' ( s) H ' ( s) 
s 2  2s  10

   
90o   180  (90  108 )  198
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 5.3.2 Zero-degree Root Locus
Example: Sketch the root loci of the system with the open
loop transfer function:
K1 (1  s )
G(s) H (s)  K1 : 0  
s ( s  1)
K1 (1  s )  K1 ( s  1)
Analysis: G(s) H (s)  
s ( s  1) s ( s  1)
For this kind of systems, the characteristic equations are like as:
1  K1G1 ( s) H1 ( s)  0  K1G1 ( s) H1 ( s)  1
Magnitude equation 1
Gk ( s)  K g : 0  
Kg
Argument equation Gk ( s)  2k , k  0,  1,  2,   
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 Root locus by using the s  3 .3
sketching rules with the ( K 1  6.17)
s j
following modification:
K1  1
 Real-axis: Left of even
number of zeros or poles 1 1
 Asymptote s   0 .3
( K 1  0.16)
 Angles of emergence and
entry
m n
 p  2k    i    j
i 1 j 1
j p

For Kg varying from －∞→0 together with Kg =[0,+∞)

simultaneously, the root loci are named the “complete
root loci”.

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 5-4 Application of Root Locus
Kg K g ( s  a)
Insert a zero Gk ( s)   Gk ( s) 
s  1(s  1)( s  4) s  1(s  1)( s  4)

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Add a pole to the open-loop transfer function
K1 ( s  3) K1 ( s  3)
GH1 ( s )   GH 2 ( s ) 
s( s  2) s ( s  2)( s  a)
Im
Im

Re Re
3 2 5 3 2

Im
Im

Re Re
3 2 1 3 2

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5.4.1 The effects of Zeros and Poles
Attracting effect
Generally, adding an open zero in the left s-plane will lead the
root loci to be bended to the left.
The more closer to the imaginary axis the open zero is, the more
prominent the effect on the system’s performance is.

Repelling effect
Generally, adding an open pole in the left s-plane will lead the
root loci to be bended to the right.
The more closer to the imaginary axis the open pole is, the more
prominent the effect on the system’s performance is.

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 3.6 K c
Example 5.4.1: Gk ( s ) 
How to enlarge the stability region? (10s  1)(5s  1)( 2 s  1)
0.036 K c K
Gk (s)  
( s  0.1)(s  0.2)(s  0.5) ( s  0.1)( s  0.2)( s  0.5)
K (s  0.4)
G k(s ) 
(s  0.1)(s  0.2)(s  0.5)
j0.2
ω1=0.17 ω1=0
Kc=0.778 Kc=0.278

60o
-0.06
-0.027ω3=0
Kc=0.278
-j0.2
ω2=-0.17
Kc=0.778

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5.4.2 Performance Analysis Based on Root Locus

Example 5.4.2: Given the open-loop transfer function

K
Gk ( s ) 
s (0.5s  1)
please analyze the effect of open-loop gain K on the
system performance.

Calculate the dynamic performance criteria for K＝5.

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 k→∞
j

k＝ 10 3j [s]

k＝ 3

k＝ 2

k＝ 0  k＝ 0
－2 k＝ 1 －1 0 

k＝ 2

k＝ 3 k→∞

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It is observed from the root locus that the system is
stable for any K.

For 0＜K＜0.5(0＜k＜1), there are two different negative

real roots.

For K=0.5(k=1), there are two same negative real roots.

For K＞0.5(k＞1), there are a pair of conjugate complex
poles.

For K=5( k=10), the closed-loop poles are

s12  n  j n 1    1  j 3
2

1
n  10  3.16,    0.316
3.16
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 The criteria for transient performance can be given by

Overshoot
 / 1 2
p e  100%  e1.05  100%  35%


Peak time tp   1.05s
n 1   2
3
Settling time t s   3s (  5%)
n

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 1. We can get the information of the system’s stability in terms of
that whether the root loci always are in the left-hand s-plane with the
system’s parameter varying.

2. We can get some information of the system’s steady-state error in

terms of the number of the open-loop poles at the origin of the s-
plane.

3. We can get some information of the system’s transient

performance in terms of the tendencies of the root loci with the
system’s parameter varying.
4. The root loci in the left-hand s-plane move to far from the
imaginary axis with the system’s parameter varying, the system’s
response is more rapid and the system is more stable, vice versa.

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Complement
 Use Matlab to sketch root locus
m
K g  ( s  zi ) K g  s 2 +7 s +12 
K g  s +3 s +4 
Gk  s   i 1
= =
n
 s +1 s +2  s 2 +3s +2
 (s  p )
j 1
j

In Matlab:
num=[1 7 12]
sys=tf[num,den]
den=[1 3 2]
Rlocus(num,den)

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