Advanced Control Systems (ACS)

Transfer Function and Stability of LTI Systems

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 Transfer Function
• Transfer Function is the ratio of Laplace transform of the
output to the Laplace transform of the input.
Considering all initial conditions to zero.
u(t) y(t)
Plant

If u(t )  U ( S ) and
y(t )  Y ( S )

• Where  is the Laplace operator.

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 Transfer Function
• Then the transfer function G(S) of the plant is given
as
Y (S )
G( S ) 
U (S )

U(S) G(S) Y(S)

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 Why Laplace Transform?
• By use of Laplace transform we can convert many
common functions into algebraic function of complex
variable s.
• For example

sin t  2 2
s 
Or
 at 1
e 
sa
• Where s is a complex variable (complex frequency) and is
given as
s    j 4
 Laplace Transform of Derivatives
• Not only common function can be converted into
simple algebraic expressions but calculus operations
can also be converted into algebraic expressions.
• For example
dx(t )
  sX ( S )  x( 0)
dt

2
d x(t ) 2 dx( 0)
 2
 s X ( S )  x( 0) 
dt dt
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 Laplace Transform of Derivatives
• In general

n
d x(t ) n n 1 n 1
 n
 s X (S )  s x( 0 )    x ( 0)
dt

• Where x(0) is the initial condition of the system.

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 Laplace Transform of Integrals

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 x(t )dt  X ( S )
s

• The time domain integral becomes division by

s in frequency domain.

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 Transfer Function (Proper and Improper)

• When order of the denominator polynomial is greater

than the numerator polynomial the transfer function is
said to be ‘proper’.

• Otherwise ‘improper’

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 Transfer Function
• Transfer function helps us to check

– The stability of the system

– Time domain and frequency domain characteristics of the

system

– Response of the system for any given input

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 Stability of Control System
• There are several meanings of stability, in general
there are two kinds of stability definitions in control
system study.

– Absolute Stability

– Relative Stability

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 Stability of Control System
Absolute Stability: It means whether system is stable or unstable.

For Example: Routh Hurwitz

Relative Stability: It gives the degree of stability or how close it is to instability.

For Example: Root Locus

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 Stability of Control System

• Roots of denominator polynomial of a transfer

function are called ‘poles’.

• And the roots of numerator polynomials of a

transfer function are called ‘zeros’.

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 Stability of Control System

• Poles of the system are represented by ‘x’ and

zeros of the system are represented by ‘o’.
• System order is always equal to number of
poles of the transfer function.
• Following transfer function represents nth
order plant.

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 Stability of Control System
• Poles is also defined as “it is the frequency at which
system becomes infinite”. Hence the name pole
where field is infinite.

• And zero is the frequency at which system becomes

0.

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 Example
• Consider the Transfer function:

X (s) C
G( s )  
Y ( s ) As  B

the denominator polynomial is As  B  0

• The only pole of the system is

B
s
A

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 Examples
• Consider the following transfer functions.
– Determine
• Whether the transfer function is proper or improper
• Poles of the system
• zeros of the system
• Order of the system

s3 s
)i G( s )  )ii G( s ) 
s( s  2 ) ( s  1)( s  2 )( s  3)

( s  3) 2 s 2 ( s  1)
)iii G( s )  )iv G( s ) 
s( s 2  10) s( s  10)
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 Stability of Control Systems
• The poles and zeros of the system are plotted in s-plane
to check the stability of the system.
j

LHP RHP

Recall s    j


s-plane

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 Stability of Control Systems
• If all the poles of the system lie in left half plane the
system is said to be Stable.
• If any of the poles lie in right half plane the system is said
to be unstable.
• If pole(s) lie on imaginary axis the system is said to be
marginally stable. j

LHP RHP

s-plane
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 Stability of Control Systems
• For example
C
G( s )  , if A  1, B  3 and C  10
As  B
• Then the only pole of the system lie at

pole  3
j

LHP RHP

X 
-3

s-plane
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 Examples
• Consider the following transfer functions.
 Determine whether the transfer function is proper or improper
 Calculate the Poles and zeros of the system
 Determine the order of the system
 Draw the pole-zero map
 Determine the Stability of the system

s3 s
)i G( s )  )ii G( s ) 
s( s  2 ) ( s  1)( s  2 )( s  3)

( s  3) 2 s 2 ( s  1)
)iii G( s )  )iv G( s ) 
s( s 2  10) s( s  10)
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 Another definition of Stability
• The system is said to be stable if for any bounded
input the output of the system is also bounded
(BIBO).
• Thus the for any bounded input the output either
remain constant or decrease with time.
u(t) overshoot
y(t)
1

Plant 1
t
t
Unit Step Input
Output
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 Another definition of Stability
• If for any bounded input the output is not
bounded the system is said to be unstable.

u(t)
y(t)
1
e at
Plant
t
t
Unit Step Input
Output

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