What is Time Response?

If the output of control system for an input varies with respect to time, then it is
called the time response of the control system.

The time response consists of two parts.

• Transient response
• Steady state response
Transient Response

After applying input to the control system, output takes certain time to reach
steady state. So, the output will be in transient state till it goes to a steady state.
Therefore, the response of the control system during the transient state is known
as transient response.
The transient response will be zero for large values of ‘t’. Ideally, this value of ‘t’ is
infinity and practically, it is five times constant.
Steady state Response
The part of the time response that remains even after the transient response has died out, is known
as steady state response.

Example
Let us find the transient and steady state terms of the time response of the control system

Here, the second term 5e−t will be zero as t denotes infinity. So, this is the transient term.
And the first term 10 remains even as t approaches infinity. So, this is the steady state term.
 Standard Test Signals

Why is it required?

The standard test signals are step, ramp, impulse and parabolic. These signals are used to know the
performance of the control systems using time response of the output.
 Unit Step Signal
A unit step signal, u(t) is defined as

Unit Ramp Signal

A unit ramp signal, r(t) is defined as

We can write unit ramp signal, r(t) in terms of unit step signal u(t) , as t u(t)
 Unit Impulse Signal

A unit impulse signal, δ(t) is defined as

Unit Parabolic Signal

A unit parabolic signal, p(t) is defined as,

We can write unit parabolic signal, p(t) in terms of the unit step signal u(t) as,
Response of Second Order System
A control system in which the highest power of ‘s’ in the denominator of its transfer function
is equal to 2 is called the second order control system.

The characteristic equation is -

The roots of characteristic equation are -

•The two roots are imaginary when δ = 0. (Undamped case)
•The two roots are real and equal when δ = 1. (Critically damped case)
•The two roots are real but not equal when δ > 1. (Overdamped case)
•The two roots are complex conjugate when 0 < δ < 1. (Underdamped case)

Where,
•C(s) is the Laplace transform of the output signal, c(t)
•R(s) is the Laplace transform of the input signal, r(t)
•ωn is the natural frequency
•δ is the damping ratio.
Step Response of Second Order System
Consider the unit step signal as an input to the second order system.

Laplace transform of the unit step signal is,

We know the transfer function of the second order closed loop control system is,

Case 1: δ = 0 (Undamped case)

Substitute, δ=0 in the transfer function.

 Apply inverse Laplace transform on both the sides.

C(t)

Since there is no time damping, this response doesn’t die out with time. This response is known as Undamped
response (sustained oscillation).
Case 2: δ = 1 (Critically damped case)
Substitute, δ=1 in the transfer function.
So, the unit step response of the second order system will try to reach the step input in steady state.

C(t)

t
Case 3: 0 < δ < 1 (Underdamped case)

We can modify the denominator term of the transfer function as follows −

The transfer function becomes,

Do partial fractions
Apply inverse Laplace transform on both the sides.
 C(t)

So, the unit step response of the second order

system is having damped oscillations (decreasing
amplitude) when ‘δ’ lies between zero and one.
t
 Case 4: δ > 1
We can modify the denominator term of the transfer function as follows −

The transfer function becomes,

 C(t)

Since it is over damped, the unit step response of

the second order system when δ > 1 , It is seen
that an overdamped system is always sluggish in t
corresponding to any input.
Response of Second Order System
A control system in which the highest power of ‘s’ in the denominator of its transfer function
is equal to 2 is called the second order control system.

The characteristic equation is -

The roots of characteristic equation are -

•The two roots are imaginary when δ = 0. (Undamped case)
•The two roots are real and equal when δ = 1. (Critically damped case)
•The two roots are real but not equal when δ > 1. (Overdamped case)
•The two roots are complex conjugate when 0 < δ < 1. (Underdamped case)

Where,
•C(s) is the Laplace transform of the output signal, c(t)
•R(s) is the Laplace transform of the input signal, r(t)
•ωn is the natural frequency
•δ is the damping ratio.
Step Response of Second Order System
Consider the unit step signal as an input to the second order system.

Laplace transform of the unit step signal is,

We know the transfer function of the second order closed loop control system is,

Case 1: δ = 0 (Undamped case)

Substitute, δ=0 in the transfer function.

 Apply inverse Laplace transform on both the sides.

C(t)

Since there is no time damping, this response doesn’t die out with time. This response is known as Undamped
response (sustained oscillation).
Case 2: δ = 1 (Critically damped case)
Substitute, δ=1 in the transfer function.
So, the unit step response of the second order system will try to reach the step input in steady state.

C(t)

t
Case 3: 0 < δ < 1 (Underdamped case)

We can modify the denominator term of the transfer function as follows −

The transfer function becomes,

Do partial fractions
Apply inverse Laplace transform on both the sides.
 C(t)

So, the unit step response of the second order

system is having damped oscillations (decreasing
amplitude) when ‘δ’ lies between zero and one.
t
 Case 4: δ > 1
We can modify the denominator term of the transfer function as follows −

The transfer function becomes,

 C(t)

Since it is over damped, the unit step response of

the second order system when δ > 1 , It is seen
that an overdamped system is always sluggish in t
corresponding to any input.
Time Domain Specifications
The step response of the second order system for the underdamped case is shown in the following
figure.

The response up to the

settling time is known as
transient response and
the response after the
settling time is known as
steady state response.
 Delay Time (td)
It is the time required for the response to reach half of its final value from the zero instant.
It is denoted by td.

Consider the step response of the second order system for t ≥ 0, when ‘δ’ lies between zero
and one.

The final value of the step response is one.

Therefore, at t=td, the value of the step response will be 0.5. Substitute, these values in the above
equation.

By using linear approximation, you will get the delay time td as

Rise Time
It is the time required for the response to rise from 0% to 100% of its final value. This is applicable
for the under-damped systems. For the over-damped systems, consider the duration from 10% to
90% of the final value. Rise time is denoted by tr.

At t=t2, the value of step response is one. Substitute, these values in the following equation.

From above equation, we can

conclude that the rise time tr and
Substitute t1 and t2 values in the following equation the damped frequency Wd are
of rise time, inversely proportional to each
other.
 Peak Time
It is the time required for the response to reach the peak value for the first time. It is denoted
by tp. At t=tp, the first derivate of the response is zero.

From the above equation, we can conclude that the

peak time tp and the damped frequency ωd are
inversely proportional to each other.
 Peak Overshoot
Peak overshoot Mp is defined as the deviation of the response at peak time from the final value of response. It is
also called the maximum overshoot.

Mathematically, we can write it as

We know that
 Percentage of peak overshoot % Mp can be calculated by using this formula.

From the above equation, we can conclude that the percentage of peak overshoot %Mp will
decrease if the damping ratio δ increases.
 Settling time
It is the time required for the response to reach the steady state and stay within the specified tolerance bands
around the final value. In general, the tolerance bands are 2% and 5%. The settling time is denoted by ts.

The settling time for 5% tolerance band is - The settling time for 2% tolerance band is -
Example
𝟒
Find the time domain specifications of a control system having the closed loop transfer function 𝟐 when
𝒔 +𝟐𝒔+𝟒
the unit step signal is applied as an input to this control system.
Concept of Stability
The analysis of whether the given system can reach steady state; passing through the transients successfully is
called Stability Analysis of the system.