LECTURE 7 ANALYSIS IN THE TIME DOMAIN

This section attempts to build up a consistent picture of how systems of various complexities
will respond to standard inputs driving them.
We recall
where





 





 is the numerator polynomial in s and  the denominator. If we want to know
what the transient response of the system might look like, it is  which determines all of
the exponential terms that appear back in time domain solultions. To find these
exponentials we equate   0. This is known as the CHARACTERISTIC EQUATION and is
fundamental to all studies in control. Note that
       etc




and

        ... etc.



To discover the response of any system we must find   . We will now choose
 and .
FOUR INPUTS 

We will work with the following inputs

!
"!
#!
!

IDENTITY
Unit impulse
Unit step
Unit ramp

'()!

Unit cosine
TWO SYSTEMS 


1
1%

1%
&

 &  ) & 

We use two systems that are commonly called:

FIRST ORDER

, SECOND ORDER
+

 &,-

. -.

the order representing the multiplicity of differentiation. The form, with /, 1, 2, )

all being
specific constants, will become clear later on.
[The simplest system/input combinations will be fully analysed. The more complex ones will
be given by analogy.]

TAKE THE SYSTEM

With "!
3 

+

+

A decaying exponential

1 5 6!    
5 6!  / +

+

With u!

A rising exponential

3  +  5 6!    +

*

5 6!  1 7  + 
*
+

With !

3  +
*



A delayed ramp output

5 6!     +

*

5 6!  +  +  1! 7 1

With

 -

3  +  - 5 6!    +  - 

*

5 6! 

8
9
< 
:; = >
9

 + 

8
9


<  
:; = >
9

'()! 7 ?

?  !1 + . Notice the first term is a transient and dies out after about 5/a seconds. We
will plot the second term that persists, against the input.
-

A delayed cosine of
different magnitude

TAKE THE SYSTEM

 &,-. -. 

Before we can proceed, it has to be noted that the characteristic equation of this system
gives rise to roots that are in some ways not fully defined. We study the implications of this
point before proceeding to a full analysis. Look again at the possible roots of the
denominator and note the significance of the parameter 2 known as the DAMPING RATIO
(or DAMPING COEFFICIENT).
Case 1

*
@A

The roots are both real and different. Therefore, this system is

Case 2

*
C

The roots are real and the same. Therefore, this system is known

Case 3

Case 4

known to be OVERDAMPED and 2 B 1.

to be CRITICALLY DAMPED and 2  1.

 &,-. -. 

The roots are a complex conjugate pair. Therefore the system is

known to be UNDERDAMPED and 0 D 2 D 1.

Here 2  0 and the roots are imaginary. Therefore the system is

totally UNDAMPED, that is, it will oscillate at all times.

 - 

A selection of system cases with inputs will now be analysed.

WITH EF

6!    

 &,-

. -.

IF

2 B 1 , yt  JK LeKN 7 eJN O

IF

2  1 , 6!  /! C

IF

2 D 1 , yt  P

IF

2  0 , 6!  - W)!

Q, 

 OR one of the other forms above

e,- sin U)
Q1 7 2 & tV

Hence we see the bigger 2 is the more damped the output is.

WITH XF
Here is the analysis for an UNDERDAMPED system:
6!    

Case 3

 - Y1 
*

Q, 

?  !1 7

with

 &,-. -.  

 ,-.  WL)
Q1 7 2 & ! 7 ?OZ

Q, 
,

To see what this looks like graphically, we reveal

W 7 [  W'([ 7 '(W[, with   )
Q1 7 2 & ! , \  ?
Hence we rewrite our output as
6! 

/
2
]1 
 ,-.  W ;)
Q1 7 2 & != 7  ,-.  '( ;)
Q1 7 2 & !=^
&
&
)

Q1 7 2
*

First term

-. 

is just scaling
factor

Second term
+
Third term
A step function with
decaying oscillations

Gives this
output

WITH F
Here is the analysis for a CRITICALLY DAMPED system:
Case 2

6!    

 C

C

_! 7  ;!  =  C `
&

&

Let us look at the output graphically.

WITH abcdF
Case 1 Complete the analysis for an OVERDAMPED system:
6!    

 -

@A
*

HINT: Use the partial fractions method.

Case 3 UNDERDAMPED
6!     -  &,

. -.

According to the partial fractions rules:

3   -   &,

ef

. -.

which results in:

3 

with:

g- W)!  ?  

*- 
*

/  Q42)
& ) &  )
& 7) & ,

-. Q, 

 ,-.  WL)
Q1 7 2 & !  ?& Oh ,

?  !1 7

&,-. -

-.

 -

) , ?  !1 U7

&,-. j L,  O
-.  -

[Alternatively:


6!    

- 

@

k

_ W)!  ?    + W\!  ?& ` ,

*- 

* -

with
?  !1 7

/  U41& )&  1&  \ & 7 )& V/& ,

&+-

+ k  -

,

?&  !1 7

Again it is best to look at this graphically. There are just two terms in the solution.
*Ignore * as a scaling constant.


&+k

+ k -