Control Systems (EL 3001)

Module-VI
“Stability Analysis of Control Systems:
Routh-Hurwitz Criterion”

Course Faculty:
Dr. Sunil Kumar Mishra
Assistant Professor
School of Electronics Engineering,
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
Module Outline

 The concept of stability

 Routh-Hurwitz stability criterion
 Application of Routh stability criterion to linear feedback
system

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The Concept of stability
 Definition of stability: If any oscillation setup in a system in consequence to
application of an input are damped out with respect to time, the system is said to
be stable.

 Conversely for unstable systems oscillations are increasing in magnitude.

 If the magnitude of the oscillations is sustained the system is marginally stable.

 Absolute stability: It simply tells whether the system is stable or unstable or

marginally stable. It can be determined from the location of roots of characteristics
equation.

 Relative stability: This term is used in relation to comparative analysis of stability.

The parameters such as maximum overshoot, damping factor, gain and phase
margin are used measure relative stability.

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The Concept of stability
 Time Response and Location of Roots of Characteristics Equation:

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
 The Routh-Hurwitz criterion represents a method of determining the location of
zeros of a polynomial with constant real coefficients with respect to the left half
and the right half of the s-plane, without actually solving for the zeros. The method
can be applied to systems with single input and output and with multiple inputs
and outputs, as well as single- or multiple-loop systems.

 Consider that the characteristic equation (C. E.) of a linear time-invariant system
is of the form:

 where all the coefficients are real numbers.

 In order that there be no roots of the last equation with positive real parts, it is
necessary but not sufficient that
 All the coefficients of the polynomial have the same sign.
 None of the coefficients vanishes or is zero.

 However, these conditions are not sufficient; it is quite possible that a polynomial
with all its coefficients nonzero and of the same sign still have zeros in the right
half of the y-plane.
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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
 The necessary and sufficient condition that all the roots of C. E. lie in the left half
of the s-plane is that the polynomial's Hurwitz determinants, Dk, k= 1, 2, ...,n, must
be all positive.

 The Hurwitz determinant is given by:

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
 For determining Hurwitz determinants a lot of time is involved.

 At first glance the application of the Hurwitz determinants may seem to be

formidable for high-order polynomials, because of the labor involved in evaluating
the determinants.

 Fortunately, the rule was simplified by Routh into a tabulation, so one does not
have to work with the determinants.

 The first step in the simplification of the Routh-Hurwitz criterion is to arrange the
polynomial coefficients into two rows.

 The first row consists of the first, third, fifth, . . . coefficients, and the second row
consists of the second, the fourth, sixth, . . .coefficients, as shown in the following
tabulation :

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
 The next step is to form the following array of numbers by the indicated operations
(the example shown is for a sixth-order system) :

 The array of numbers and operations given above is known as the Routh
tabulation or the Routh array. The column of s’s on the left side is used for
identification purpose.

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
 The following conclusions are drawn from the Routh array :

 The roots of the polynomial are all in the left half of the s-plane if all the
elements of the first column of the Routh tabulation are of the same sign.

 If there are changes of signs in the elements of the first column, the number
of sign changes indicates the number of roots with positive real parts.

 The reason for the foregoing conclusion is simple, based on the requirements on
the Hurwitz determinants.

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
 The relations between the elements in the first column of the Routh
tabulation and the Hurwitz determinants are:

 Therefore, if all the Hurwitz determinants are positive, the elements in the first
column would also be of the same sign.

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Application of Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion to Linear
Feedback System
 Example 1: Consider the following equation:

 which has two negative coefficients. Thus, from the necessary condition, we know
without applying the Routh-Hurwitz test that the equation has at least one root
with positive real parts. But for the purpose of illustrating the Routh-Hurwitz
criterion, prepare the Routh array.

 Example 2: Consider the following equation:

 Since the equation has no missing terms and the coefficients are all of the same
sign, it satisfies the necessary condition for not having roots in the right half of the
s-plane or on the imaginary axis. However, the sufficient condition must still be
checked. Hence, prepare the Routh array and comment on stability and roots
location.

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Application of Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion to Linear
Feedback System

 Solution Example 1: The Routh tabulation is formed as follows :

 Since there are two sign changes in the first column of the tabulation, the
polynomial has two roots located in the right half of the s-plane.

 This agrees with the known result.

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Application of Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion to Linear
Feedback System

 Solution Example 2: The Routh tabulation is formed as follows :

 Since there are two sign changes in the first column of the tabulation, the
polynomial has two roots located in the right half of the s-plane.

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Special Cases

 Depending upon the equation to be tested, the following difficulties may occur
occasionally when carrying out the Routh test:

 Special Case 1: The first element in any one row of the Routh tabulation is
zero, but the other elements are not.

 Special Case 2: The elements in one row of the Routh tabulation are all
zero.

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Special Case 1
The first element in any one row of the Routh tabulation is zero, but the other
elements are not.

 This situation may be corrected by multiplying the equation by the factor (s+a),
where a is any number, and then carry on the usual tabulation.

 Example 3: Consider the following equation:

 Since the coefficient of the s2 term is zero, we know from the necessary condition
that at least one root of the equation is located in the right half of the s-plane.
 Determine the stability of the C.E. given above using R-H criterion.

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Special Case 1
The first element in any one row of the Routh tabulation is zero, but the other
elements are not.

 Solution of Example 3: The Routh tabulation is formed as follows :

 Because of the zero in the first element of the second row, the first element of the
third row is infinite.
 To correct this situation, we multiply both sides of C.E. by the factor (s +a), where
a is an arbitrary number. The simplest number that enters one's mind is 1.
However, for reasons that will become apparent later, we do not choose a to be
1or 2. Let a =3; then C.E. becomes:

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Special Case 1
The first element in any one row of the Routh tabulation is zero, but the other
elements are not.

 Solution of Example 3: The New Routh tabulation is formed as follows :

 Since there are two changes in sign in the first column of the Routh tabulation, the
equation has two roots in the right half of the f-plane.

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Special Case 1
The first element in any one row of the Routh tabulation is zero, but the other
elements are not.

 Solution of Example 3 (Another Approach):

 As an alternative to the remedy of the situation described above, we may replace
the zero element in the Routh tabulation by an arbitrary small positive number 𝜀
and then proceed with the Routh test. For instance, for the given C.E., we may
replace the zero element in the second row of the Routh tabulation by 𝜀 ; then we
have:

 The first column of the last tabulation has two sign changes. This agrees with the
result obtained earlier.
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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Special Case 2
The elements in one row of the Routh tabulation are all zero.

 When all the elements in one row of the Routh tabulation are zeros, it indicates
that one or more of the following conditions may exist :
 Pairs of real roots with opposite signs.
 Pairs of imaginary roots.
 Pairs of complex-conjugate roots forming symmetry about the origin of the s-
plane.

 “The equation that is formed by using the coefficients of the row just above the
row of zeros is called the auxiliary equation”.

 When a row of zeros appear in the Routh tabulation, again the test breaks down.
The test may be carried on by performing the following remedies:

 Take the derivative of the auxiliary equation with respect to s.

 Replace the row of zeros with the coefficients of the resultant equation
obtained by taking the derivative of the auxiliary equation.
 Carry on the Routh test in the usual manner with the newly formed
tabulation.
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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Special Case 2
The elements in one row of the Routh tabulation are all zero.

 Example 4: Consider the C.E. given below:

 Perform the R-H stability test.

 Solution of Example 4: The R-H is given as:

 Since the s1 row contains all zeros, the Routh test terminates prematurely. The
Auxiliary Equation (A.E) is therefore written as:

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Special Case 2
The elements in one row of the Routh tabulation are all zero.

 Solution of Example 4: Taking the derivation of A(s) with respect to s gives:

 Now, the row of zeros in the Routh tabulation is replaced by the coefficients of
C.E., and the new tabulation reads as follows:

 Since the preceding tabulation has two sign changes, the equation of C.E. has
two roots in the right-half plane.

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Special Case 2
The elements in one row of the Routh tabulation are all zero.

 Example 5: Consider:

𝑠 + 2 𝑠 − 2 𝑠 + 𝑗 𝑠 − 𝑗 𝑠2 + 𝑠 + 1
= 𝑠 6 + 𝑠 5 − 2𝑠 4 − 3𝑠 3 − 7𝑠 2 − 4𝑠 − 4 = 0
 which is known to have two pairs of equal roots with opposite signs at s = ±2 and
s = ±j.

 Perform the Routh Stability Test.

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Special Case 2
The elements in one row of the Routh tabulation are all zero.

 Solution of Example 5: The Routh tabulation is:

 Since a row of zeros appears prematurely, we form the auxiliary equation using
the coefficients of the s4 row. The auxiliary equation is:

A 𝑠 = 𝑠 4 − 3𝑠 2 − 4 = 0
 The derivative of A(s) with respect to s is:

𝑑𝐴(𝑠ሻ
= 4𝑠 2 − 6𝑠
𝑑𝑠
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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Special Case 2
The elements in one row of the Routh tabulation are all zero.

 Solution of Example 5:
 From derivative of auxiliary equation, the coefficients 4 and —6 are used to
replace the row of zeros in the Routh tabulation.
 The new Routh tabulation is:

 Since there is one change in sign in the first column of the new Routh tabulation,
the C.E. has one root in the right half of the s-plane.
 The equal, but opposite roots that caused the all-zero row to occur are solved
from the auxiliary equation. From A. E., these roots are found to be s = +2, -2, +j,
and -j.
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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Practice Problems
The elements in one row of the Routh tabulation are all zero.

 Problem 1: A closed loop control system has the characteristics equation:

𝑠 3 + 4.5𝑠 2 + 3.5𝑠 + 1.5 = 0

 Investigate the stability using Routh-Hurwitz criterion.

 Problem 2: A closed loop control system has the characteristics equation:

𝑠 3 + 4 × 102 𝑠 2 + 5 × 104 𝑠 + 2 × 106 = 0

 Investigate the stability using Routh-Hurwitz criterion.

 Problem 3: Determine the stability of a system whose overall transfer function is

given below:

 If the system is found unstable, how many roots it has with positive real parts?
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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Practice Problems
The elements in one row of the Routh tabulation are all zero.

 Problem 4: A closed loop control system has the characteristics equation:

𝑠 5 +𝑠 4 +2𝑠 3 + 2𝑠 2 + 11𝑠 + 10 = 0
 Investigate the stability using Routh-Hurwitz criterion.

 Problem 5: Determine the stability of a system having following the

characteristics equation:

𝑠 6 + 𝑠 5 +5𝑠 4 +3𝑠 3 + 2𝑠 2 − 4𝑠 − 8 = 0
 Problem 6: Using Routh-Hurwitz criterion determine the relation between K and T
so that unity feedback control system whose open-loop transfer function given
below is stable:

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Practice Problems
The elements in one row of the Routh tabulation are all zero.

 Problem 7: The open-loop transfer function of a unity feedback control system is

given by:

 Applying Routh-Hurwitz criterion determine the value of K in terms of T1 and T2

for the system to be stable.

 Problem 8: Determine the stability of a system having following the

characteristics equations:

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Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion: Practice Problems
The elements in one row of the Routh tabulation are all zero.

 Problem 9: For the characteristics equations given below determine the limiting
value of K for stability:

 Problem 10: Determine the number of roots having positive real part of the
characteristics whose block diagram is shown in Fig. below:

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READING REFERENCE

 B S Manke, Linear Control Systems, Chap. 7.

 B C Kuo, Automatic Control Systems, Chap. 7, Third Edition

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