AMME 3500/9501 :

System Dynamics and Control

Frequency Domain Modelling
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

A/Prof Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Overview
Linear Time-Invariant (LTI) Models
Linearisation
The Principle of Superposition

Laplace transform
Transfer Functions

A/Prof Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 3

Mathematical Modelling
A mathematical model is one or more equations
that describe the relationship between the system
variables
These models are usually derived from basic
physical principles, often with some parameters
that need to be determined experimentally

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 4

Linearity
The net response to a sum of inputs is
the sum of the output responses of each
input considered in isolation
Mathematically:
Linear:

= ()

1 + 2 = 1 ) + (2

A/Prof Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 5

Dynamic Models
u(t)

y(t)
Plant

A linear differential equation for a single-input, singleoutput system has the form
d n y (t )
d n 1 y (t )
an 1

n
n 1
dt
dt

d mu (t )
a0 y (t ) bm

m
dt

b0u (t )

(an-1, , a0, bm, b0) are the systems parameters

An LTI system has parameters that are time-invariant
n is the order of the system
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 6

A Familiar Mechanical Example

M
y(t)

Spring damper system

Mass M is suspended by
a spring and damper
Force f is applied
How do we predict the
motion of this system?

f(t)
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 7

Translation Mechanical Elements

Force-velocity,
forcedisplacement, and
impedance
translational
relationships
for springs,
viscous dampers,
and mass

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 8

Rotational Mechanical Elements

Torque-angular
velocity, torqueangular
displacement,
and impedance
rotational
relationships for
springs, viscous
dampers, and
inertia
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 9

Free Body Diagram

Draw an FBD
Insert forces acting on
body
Sum forces

Ky(t) Kd y(t)

Kd y

y(t)

f(t)
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

F = my
my = f (t) - Ky(t) - K d y(t)
my + K d y(t) + Ky(t) = f (t)

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 10

Nonlinear Systems
Most real systems are nonlinear:
A spring has only so much travel available
Wind resistance is a quadratic function of
velocity
Trigonometric terms show up for rotational
joints

A/Prof Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 11

Linearisation (Taylor Series)

A local approximation to a nonlinear
function can be found by linearisation:
0

A/Prof Ian R. Manchester

+
0 + . . .

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 12

Pendulum Example
+ sin =

A/Prof Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 13

Hydraulic Pump Example

A/Prof Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 14

Impulse Response

vid

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 15

Impulse Response

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 16

Examples

Response of a car suspension system to a pothole

Flexing modes of an aircraft wing
Or a high-precision industrial robot arm
The response of blood glucose concentration, insulin
production, etc after eating a meal

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 17

The Unit Impulse

An impulse is an infinitely short
pulse at t =0
Any signal can be thought of as
the summation (integral) of
many impulses at different points
in time
By the principal of
superposition, if we can find the
response of the system to one
impulse, we will be able to find
the response to an arbitrary
input
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

f ( ) (t )d f (t )

f(t)

Amme 3500 : Introduction

t
Slide 18

Impulse Response
Suppose the input consisted of just three
impulses at times t = 0, 1, 2 of size 7, 8, 9.
What is the value of y(t) at time t = 5?

y = f (u1 + u2 + u3 )
= f (u1) + f (u2 ) + f (u3 )
= 7h(5) + 8h(4) + 9h(3)
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 19

Convolution Integral
The output is the sum (integral) of each impulse
response of the system to each individual impulse of
the input, delayed by the appropriate time

y(t) =

h(t )u(t - t )dt

We call this convolution, and it is written as

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

y(t) = h(t)*u(t)
Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 20

Example : Solving in time

Assume we have a system described by the
following differential equation

y (t) + ky(t) = u(t)

The impulse response for this system is

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

h(t ) e

kt

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 21

Example : Solving in time

If we want to find the response of the system
to a sinusoidal input, sin(wt)

y (t ) h( )u (t )d

e k sin(w (t ))d

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 22

Cascaded systems
Now what happens if
we have multiple
components in the
system?

y1(t)

u(t)
h (t)

y(t)
h1(t)

y1 (t ) u (t )h( )d

y (t ) y1 (t )h1 ( )d

y (t ) (u (t ) * h(t )) * h1 (t )
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 23

Step Response
Often we are interested in
the response of a system to a
step change, e.g. the change
of reference signal

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 24

Paradox?
How can we have a step response for a
system defined by derivatives of the input?

d n y (t )
d n 1 y (t )
an 1

n
n 1
dt
dt

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

d mu (t )
a0 y (t ) bm

m
dt

Amme 3500 : Introduction

b0u (t )

Slide 25

The input signal as an Exponential

This provides us with a rich basis function for
describing functions
Through Eulers formula, we find

e e
st

( jw ) t

e e

jwt

e (cos wt j sin wt )
Fourier analysis tells us that this is sufficient for
representing any signal
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 26

The Frequency Domain

We can also consider the response of a system
to sinusoidal inputs
Fourier theory tells us that all signals can be
decomposed into a sums of sinusoids
Our basis signals are complex exponentials:
(s + jw )t

u(t) = e = e
st

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 27

Laplace Transform
The Laplace transform is defined as:

F (s ) =

f (t )e

- st

dt

Where s = s + jw

The inverse transform is:

f(t )
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

2 j

Amme 3500 : Introduction

st

F ( s)e ds
Slide 28

Laplace Transform of a Step

Step input

Laplace Trans.

f (t) =1

F (s ) =

f (t )e

- st

dt

If s > 0

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 29

Table of Laplace Transforms

What about that nasty
integral in the Laplace
operation?
We normally use tables
of Laplace transforms
rather than solving the
preceding equations
directly
This greatly simplifies
the transformation
process
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 30

Laplace Transform Theorems

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 31

How does this help us?

Convolution in time is
equivalent to
multiplication in the
Laplace domain

L y (t ) L u (t )* h(t )
Y (s) U (s) H (s)

Y1(s)

U(s)
H(s)

Y(s)
H1(s)

Y ( s ) U ( s ) H ( s ) H1 ( s )
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 32

Comparing Solution Methods

Starting with an impulse response, h(t), and an
input, u(t), find y(t)
convolution

y(t)

u(t), h(t)

U(s), H(s)

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

L-1

Y(s)
Multiplication,
algebraic manipulation
Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 33

Transfer Function
The transfer function H(s) of a system is
defined as the ratio of the Laplace transforms
output and input with zero initial conditions

Y (s)
H(s) =
U(s)

It is also Laplace transform of the impulse

response
L y (t ) L u (t )* h(t )

Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Y (s) U (s) H (s)

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 34

Example : Transfer Function

Recall the system we examined earlier

y (t) + ky(t) = u(t)

To find the transfer function for this system,
we perform the following steps
sY(s) - y(0) + kY(s) = U(s)

Y(s)(s + k) = U(s)
Y (s)
1
H(s) =
=
U(s) s + k
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

or

Amme 3500 : Introduction

h(t ) e

kt

Slide 35

Conclusions
The Linear Time Invariant abstraction
allows us to completely understand system
response by looking at certain basic responses
(impulse, step, frequency)
The Laplace transform (of signals) and transfer
functions (of systems) are a very convenient
representations for analysis
Dr. Ian R. Manchester

Amme 3500 : Introduction

Slide 36