Why Use Transfer Functions?
Instead of solving differential equations repeatedly, transfer functions provide:
•Simpler system representation
•Easier stability analysis
•Frequency response analysis
•Controller design capability
Poles determine:
•Stability
•Speed of response
•Oscillations
•Transient behavior
Zeros influence:
•Shape of response
•Overshoot
•Frequency response
Hurwitz Polynomial
For a polynomial P(s) to be Hurwitz polynomial necessary condition are:
• All the coefficients in the polynomial (Ps) = 𝑎𝑛 𝑠 𝑛 + 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑠 𝑛−1 + ⋯ … … . + 𝑎1 𝑠 + 𝑎0 are positive. where an ,
an_1 , … a1 and a0 are the coefficients.
• A polynomial may not have any missing terms between the highest and the lowest order unless all even or
all odd terms are missing.
A polynomial P(s) is said to be Hurwitz the sufficient conditions is:
The roots of P(s) have real parts which are zero or negative.
• P(s)= 𝑠 2 − 3𝑠 + 2
• P(s)= 𝑠 2 + 3𝑠 + 2
• P(s)= 𝑠 3 + 6𝑠 2 + 11𝑠 + 6
• P(s)= 𝑠 3 + 𝑠 2 + 𝑠 + 2
Routh Stability Criterion
“For the system to be stable all the elements in the first column of Routh array should be positive. If this
condition is not meet the system is unstable. The number of roots of the characteristic equation in the right half
of the s-plane is the number of sign changes in the elements of the first column of the routh array.”
If the sign changes from + to – it is considered as one sign change and from – to + is considered as another sign change.
Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
Introduction
• The Routh-Hurwitz criterion determines stability without explicitly calculating poles.
• It answer how many roots lie in the left half plane, right half plane, and on the imaginary axis? (with out providing the
actual magnitude of the poles)
Characteristic Equation
𝑎𝑛 𝑠 𝑛 + 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑠 𝑛−1 + ⋯ … … . + 𝑎1 𝑠 + 𝑎0
The coefficients of the characteristic equation form the Routh array.
Stability Condition
For stability:
• All coefficients must be positive.
• No sign change should occur in the first column of the Routh array.
𝑎0 𝑠 𝑛 + 𝑎1 𝑠 𝑛−1 + ⋯ … … . + 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑠 + 𝑎𝑛
Routh table construction
Characteristic equation:
s^3+6s^2+11s+6=0
Routh table:
Power First Column
𝑠3 1
𝑠2 6
𝑠1 10
𝑠0 6
All terms are positive.
Therefore:
•No sign change
•No right-half-plane poles
System is Stable
Case 1: Zero Appears as the First Element of a Row
During the construction of the Routh table, the first element of a row becomes zero while other elements in that row are
non-zero.
Example:
Power First Column
𝑠4 1
𝑠3 2
𝑠2 0
s ...
Since the first element is zero, the next row calculation involves division by zero, which is not possible.
Solution
Replace the zero by a small positive number
𝜖 → 0+
and continue the Routh calculations.
After completing the table:
•Examine sign changes in the first column.
•Take the limit as
𝜖→0
Example
Characteristic equation:
𝑠 3 + 2𝑠 2 + 𝑠 + 2 = 0
Routh table:
Power
𝑠3 1 1
𝑠2 2 2
𝑠1 0 0
𝑠0 2
Here the first element becomes zero.
Replace:
0→𝜖
and continue.
Power
All terms are positive.
𝑠3 1 1 Therefore:
𝑠2 2 2 •No sign change
𝑠1 𝜖 0 •No right-half-plane poles
𝑠0 (2𝜖)/𝜖=2 System is Stable
Case 2: Entire row of the Routh array become Zero
Determine the stability of the characteristic equation
𝒔𝟔 + 𝟐𝒔𝟓 + 𝟖𝒔𝟒 + 𝟏𝟐𝒔𝟑 + 𝟐𝟎𝒔𝟐 + 𝟏𝟔𝒔 + 𝟏𝟔 = 𝟎
using the Routh–Hurwitz criterion
Construct the Routh array:
•𝑠 6 : 1, 8, 20, 16
•𝑠 5 : 2, 12, 16
Continuing the array gives a row of zeros at the 𝑠 3 row, so this is special case 2.
The auxiliary polynomial is formed from the row above the zero row:
𝐴 𝑠 = 𝑠 4 + 6𝑠 2 + 8
Differentiate it:
𝐴′ 𝑠 = 4𝑠 3 + 12𝑠
Replace the zero row with the coefficients of 𝐴′ 𝑠 , then continue the Routh array.
The completed first column has no sign changes, so there are no roots in the right half-plane