Stability Definitions
• Bounded Input Bounded Output Stability:
A system is BIBO stable if, for every bounded input,
the output remains bounded with increasing time (all
system poles must lie in the left half of the s-plane).
• Marginal Stability:
A system is marginally stable if some of the poles lie
on the imaginary axis, while all others are in the
LHS of the s-plane. Some inputs may result in the
output becoming unbounded with time.
E&CE 380 Stability
Stability Analysis
• To test the stability of a LTI system we need only
examine the poles of the system, i.e. the roots of the
characteristic equation.
• Methods are available for testing for roots with
positive real parts, which do not require the actual
solution of the characteristic equation.
• Also, methods are available for testing the stability of
a closed-loop system based only on the loop transfer
function characteristics.
E&CE 380 Stability
Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
• A quick method for checking BIBO stability.
• Assume the characteristic polynomial is
n 1
Q ( s ) an s an 1s a1s a0
n
where a0 0 .
• A necessary (but not sufficient) condition for all roots
to have non-positive real parts is that all coefficients
have the same sign.
• For the necessary and sufficient conditions, first form
the Routh array.
E&CE 380 Stability
Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
The Routh Array
n 1
Q( s ) an s an 1s a1s a0
n
n
s an an-2 an-4 an-6 …
n-1
s an-1 an-3 an-5 an-7 … where
n-2
s b1 b2 b3 b4 … a n 1 a n 2 a n an 3
n-3
s c1 c2 c3 c4 … b1
an 1
: : : :
2 an 1 an 4 an a n 5
s k1 k2 b2
1 an 1
s l1
0 etc.
s m1
E&CE 380 Stability
Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
The Routh Array
• In a similar manner, elements in the 4th row, c1, c2
, … are calculated based on the two previous
rows.
b1 an 3 an 1 b2
c1
b1
b1 an 5 an 1 b3
c2
b1
• The elements in all subsequent rows are calculated
in the same manner.
E&CE 380 Stability
Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
Necessary and sufficient conditions:
• If all elements in the first column of the Routh array
have the same sign, then all roots of the characteristic
equation have negative real parts.
• If there are sign changes in these elements, then the
number of roots with non-negative real parts is equal
to the number of sign changes.
• Elements in the first column which are zero define a
special case.
E&CE 380 Stability
Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
Example 1:
Q ( s ) 2 s s 3s 5s 10
4
3
2
4 3 10 10 0
s 2 3 10 0 b1 7 b2 10
3 1 1
s 1 5 0 0 35 10
2 b1 b2 0 c1 6 . 43
s 7
1 c1 0
s d1
10 ( 6 . 43 ) 0
10
0 d1
s 6 . 43
The characteristic equation has two roots with positive real parts
since the elements of the first column have two sign changes.
(2,1,-7,6.43,10)
E&CE 380 Stability
Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
Special Case 1:
• A zero in the first column:
• Remedy: substitute for the zero element, finish
the Routh array, and then let 0 .
Q( s) s 3s 2
3
3 2 2
b1 (negative)
3 1 -3 0 0
s b12
2 c1 2
s 0( ) 2 0 b1
1 b1 0
s There are two roots with positive
0 c1
s real parts (1, , -2/ , 2)
E&CE 380 Stability
Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
Special Case 2:
• An all zero row in the Routh array which corresponds to
pairs of roots with opposite signs.
• Remedy:
– form an auxiliary polynomial from the coefficients in the row
above.
– Replace the zero coefficients from the coefficients of the
differentiated auxiliary polynomial.
– If there is not a sign change, the roots of the auxiliary
equation define the roots of the system on the imaginary axis.
E&CE 380 Stability
Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
Special Case 2 (example):
Q( s) s s s 1
4
3
Auxiliary polynomial
4 1 0 -1 0
s s2 1
3 1 -1 0 0
s then
s
2 1 -1 0 d ( s 2 1)
2 s
1 02 0 ds
s
0 d1 d1 = –1
s
The system has one root with a positive real part ( 1, 1, 1, 2, -1).
The root is found from the auxiliary eq. s2 – 1 = 0 , s = ± 1
E&CE 380 Stability
Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
Parameter Range Test
• The Routh-Hurwitz stability criterion may
be used to find the range of a parameter for
which the closed-loop systems is stable.
• Leave the parameter as an unknown
coefficient in the characteristic polynomial,
form the Routh array, check the range of the
parameter such that the first column does
not change sign.
E&CE 380 Stability
Routh-Hurwitz Stability Criterion
Parameter Range Example
Q( s) s 6s 11s 6s K
4 3 2
4 60 6K
s 1 11 K 0 c1 d1 K
3 10
s 6 6 0 0
2 10 K 0 Then for stability,
s
1 c1 0 K 0
s
0 d1 60 6 K 0 K 10
s
0 K 10
E&CE 380 Stability
