Control Systems

Lecture 4 - Bode Plots (Gain vs Frequency)

Benefits of Gain in Decibels

Lecture 4 Bode Plots (Gain vs

Frequency)

What is a Bode Plot?

Benefits of Decibels
1st and 2nd order Gain vs Frequency plots
Bode Plots of complex systems

Example - Gain vs Frequency Bode Plot For A

First Order System
Consider a system modelled by the transfer function
G (s) =
The gain is therefore
R=

or in decibels

1
1 + sT

1
=
1 + j T

g = 20 log10 R = 20 log10 (R1R 2 R 3 )

= 20 log10 R1 + 20 log10 R 2 + 20 log10 R 3
= g1 + g 2 + g 3

Hence the Bode Plots for a system made up of several subsystems

is simply the Bode Plots for each subsystem superimposed on top
of each other.

When << 1/T

When >> 1/T

1
= 20 log 10 ( T )
g 20 log 10
T
= 20 log 10 ( ) 20 log 10 ( T )

1
1 + ( T )

When plotting g vslog10 this is the equation of a straight line with

gradient = -20 dB/decade. The straight line will cut the frequency axis
when g = 0dB.

20 log 10 ( ) = 20 log 10 ( T )

g = 20 log 10
1 + ( T ) 2

Gain Plot Correction Factor

Correction factor is associated with the break
frequency. i.e. = 1/T

g = 20 log 10
1 + ( T ) 2
When = 1/T

1
g = 20 log10
1+ T

1
g 20 log 10 = 20 log 10 (1) = 0
1

1
= 20 log 10 = 3dB
2
2

1
= 20 log 10
T

Example - Gain vs Frequency Bode Plot For A

First Order System
= 1/T
0
g
(dB)

( )

D.A.Germany - Aerospace, Automotive & Design Engineering

correction = -3 dB/dec

log10

Control Systems
Lecture 4 - Bode Plots (Gain vs Frequency)
Example - Gain vs Frequency Bode Plot For A
Second Order System

When << n

g = 20 log10

Consider a system modeled by the transfer function

2n

G ( s) =

g = 20 log10

2n
2n
=
R=
2 + 2n + 2 nj
( j ) 2 + 2 n j + 2n

When = n there is a correction factor:

= 20 log
10

+ (2 n n )2

2n

2
n

2n

2
2 2n

2n

[ ]

Straight line with a

gradient of -40dB/dec
intersecting the 0dB
axis at n

log10

-40 dB/dec

G ( s) = s

G ( s) = 1 + sT
20dB/dec

20dB/dec
20log10K
3dB
0

0
1/T

1
G ( s) =
1 + sT
1

-20log10(2)

Asymptotic Approximations of Gain vs

Frequency Bode Plots

Example - Gain vs Frequency Bode Plot For A

Second Order System

= 20 log10[2]

1
G ( s) =
s

2
n

2 2

g
(dB)

2
1
= 20 log10 n 2 = 20 log10
2
2 n

G ( s) = K

20 log10 2n

+ (2 n )2

2n

= 40 log10[ ] + 40 log10[ n ]

2nd Order Gain Plot Correction Factor

g = 20 log10

[ ]

) + (2 )
2

= 20 log10 2 + 20 log10 2n

2n

2
n

2
n

2 2

When >> n

s2 + 2 n s + 2n

The gain is therefore

20 log10 2n = 0

n
+ (2 n )2

2n

G ( s) =

2n
s2 + 2 ns + 2n

1/T

-20log10(2)
0
n

-3dB

Summary of Lecture 4
Bode plots show the results of a frequency response
analysis using two diagrams; Gain vs Frequency and
Phase vs Frequency, on log-lin graph paper.
Using decibels to measure gain means the gain of a
complex system may be determined by summing the
gains of the individual components.
Using decibels also means that gain vs frequency plots
can be approximated to asymptotes (straight lines).

-20dB/dec
-20dB/dec

-40dB/dec

D.A.Germany - Aerospace, Automotive & Design Engineering

G ( s) =

s+ 4
= 8 (1 + 0.25 s)
+
+
s( s 0.5)( s 1)

1 1 1

s 1 + 2 s 1 + s

20dB/dec
1

20log10(8)

3dB
0
4

0.5
0

-20dB/dec

0
-3dB

-3dB

-20dB/dec

-20dB/dec