Stability Analysis of LTI Systems With Three Independent Delays—A Computationally Efficient Procedure

Abstract

A practical numerical procedure is introduced for determining the stability robustness map of a general class of higher order linear time invariant systems with three independent delays, against uncertainties in the delays. The procedure is based on an efficient and exhaustive frequency-sweeping technique within a single loop. This operation results in determination of the complete description of the kernel and the offspring hypersurfaces, which constitute exhaustively the potential stability switching loci in the space of the delays. The new numerical procedure corresponds to the first step in the overarching framework, called the cluster treatment of characteristic roots. The results of this treatment can also be represented in another domain (called the spectral delay space) within a finite dimensional cube called the building block, which is much simpler to view and analyze. The paper also offers several case studies to demonstrate the practicality of the new numerical methodology.