MATLAB Tutorial

Qian Wang
Mechanical Engineering
Penn State University

MATLAB Fundamentals
Plotting Figures
M-files
ODE Solver
Building Control Systems
Time Response
Root Locus
Frequency Response / Bode Plot
SIMULINK

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 Getting Started

Starting MATLAB
Click the MATLAB icon on Windows to start MATLAB command window, which gives
an interactive interface. The top menu bar can be used to open or write a M-file, which
will be addressed later. Once started, MATLAB will provide some introductory remarks
and pop up the MATLAB prompt >>.

Help Facility
By typing “help”, “help <topics>”, you can get on-line help.

» help

HELP topics:

matlab\general - General purpose commands.

matlab\ops - Operators and special characters.
matlab\lang - Programming language constructs.
matlab\elmat - Elementary matrices and matrix manipulation.
matlab\elfun - Elementary math functions.
matlab\specfun - Specialized math functions.
matlab\matfun - Matrix functions - numerical linear algebra.
matlab\datafun - Data analysis and Fourier transforms.
matlab\polyfun - Interpolation and polynomials.
matlab\funfun - Function functions and ODE solvers.
matlab\sparfun - Sparse matrices.

» help ode23

ODE23 Solve non-stiff differential equations, low order method.

[T,Y] = ODE23('F',TSPAN,Y0) with TSPAN = [T0 TFINAL] integrates the
system of differential equations y' = F(t,y) from time T0 to TFINAL with
initial conditions Y0. 'F' is a string containing the name of an ODE
file. Function F(T,Y) must return a column vector. Each row in
solution array Y corresponds to a time returned in column vector T. To
obtain solutions at specific times T0, T1, ..., TFINAL (all increasing
or all decreasing), use TSPAN = [T0 T1 ... TFINAL].

Saving working space

Terminating a MATLAB session deletes the variables in the workspace. Before quitting,
you can save the workspace for later use by typing “save”, which saves the workspace as
“matlab.mat”. You can “save” with other “filenames” or to save only selected variables.
» save temp x y

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which saves the current variable “x, y” into “temp.mat”.

To retrieve all the variables from the file named “temp.mat”, type
» load temp

Exit
Exit MATLAB by typing
» quit
or
» exit

Fundamental Expressions/Operations
MATLAB uses conventional decimal notion, builds expressions with the usual arithmetic
operators and precedence rules:

» x = 3.421

x=

3.4210

» y = x+8.2i

y=

3.4210 + 8.2000i

» z = sqrt(y)

z=

2.4805 + 1.6529i

» p = sin(pi/2)

p=

Matrix Operations
Matrix operations are fundamental to MATLAB. Within a matrix, columns are separated
by space, and the rows are separated by semicolon”;”. For example

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 » A = [1 2 3; 4 5 6; 7 8 9]

A=

1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9

» B = ones(3,3)

B=

1 1 1
1 1 1
1 1 1

» A+B

ans =

2 3 4
5 6 7
8 9 10
» A'

ans =

1 4 7
2 5 8
3 6 9

The following matrix operations are available in MATLAB:

+ addition
- subtraction
* matrix multiplication
^ power
‘ transpose
\ left division
/ right division

The operations, , ^, \, and /, can be made to operate entry-wise by preceding them by a

period.

Building Matrix
Convenient matrix building functions are

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 eye identity matrix
zeros matrix of zeros
ones matrix of ones
diag diagonal matrix
triu upper triangular part of a matrix
tril lower triangular part of a matrix
rand randomly generated matrix

For example,

» A = eye(3)

A=

1 0 0
0 1 0
0 0 1

» B = zeros(3,2)

B=

0 0
0 0
0 0

» C = rand(3,1)

C=

0.9501
0.2311
0.6068

Matrices can be built from blocks. For example,

» D = [A B C D]
D=

1.0000 0 0 0 0 0.9501
0 1.0000 0 0 0 0.2311
0 0 1.0000 0 0 0.6068

Retrieving part or an element of a matrix

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 » D(:,6)

ans =

0.9501
0.2311
0.6068

» D(1, :)

ans =

1.0000 0 0 0 0 0.9501

» D(1,6)

ans =

0.9501

Other functions for colon notation:

» E = 0.3:0.4:1.5

E=

0.3000 0.7000 1.1000 1.5000

Vector Functions
Certain functions in MATLAB are “vector functions”, i.e., they operate essentially on a
vector (row or column). For example, the maximum entry in a matrix D is given by
max(max(D)).

» max(D)

ans =

1.0000 1.0000 1.0000 0 0 0.9501

» max(max(D))

ans =

A few of these functions are: max, min, sort, sum, prod, mean, std, any, all.

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Matrix functions
The most useful matrix functions are

eig eigenvalues and eigenvectors

svd singular value decomposition
inv inverse
det determinant
size size
norm 1-norm, 2-norm, F-norm
cond condition number in the 2-norm
rank rank

For example

» F = rand(3,3)

F=

0.4860 0.4565 0.4447

0.8913 0.0185 0.6154
0.7621 0.8214 0.7919

» eig(F)

ans =

1.7651
0.0310
-0.4997

» rank(F)

ans =

» cond(F)

ans =

69.1503

» inv(F)

ans =

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 17.9446 -0.1385 -9.9689
8.6579 -1.6802 -3.5560
-26.2485 1.8760 14.5444

Plotting Figures
Creating a Figure
If y is a vector, “plot (y)” produces a linear graph of the elements of y versus the index of
the elements of y. If you specify two vectors as arguments, “plot(x,y)” produces a graph
of y versus x.
» t = 0:pi/100:2*pi;
» x = sin(t);
» y1 = sin(t+0.25);
» y2 = cos(t-0.25);
» figure(1) % open a figure and make it current, not necessarily
» plot(x,y1,'r-',x,y2, 'g--')
» title('sin-cos plots')
» xlabel('x=sin(t)')
» ylabel('y')

sin-cos plots
1

0.5

0
y

-0.5

-1
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1
x=sin(t)

By plotting multiple figures on the graph, one alternative way is to use “hold on”
and “hold off” commands,
» plot(x,y1, 'r-')
» hold on

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 » plot(x,y2, 'g--')
» hold off

Other types of plots:

loglog plot using logarithmic scales for both axes
semilogx plot using a logarithmic scales for x-axis and
linear scale for the y-axis
semilogy figure out yourself

Line styles, markers, and color

Symbol Color Symbol Linestyle

y yellow
m magenta
c cyan
r red
g green
b blue
w white
k black
. point
o circle
x x-mark
+ plus
* star
- solid
: dotted
-. dashdot
-- dashed

Exporting a Figure
1) Cut and paste: click “Edit” at the top menu bar of the figure window, then click
“Copy Figure”, paste the figure wherever you want.
2) Save as a file: print –tiff –deps (print as a postscript file). Type “help print” to
find out more options.

M-files
MATLAB can execute a sequence of statements in a file. Such files are called “M-files”
because they must have the file type of “.m” as the last part of their filename. There are
two types of M-files: script files and function files.

Script files
A script file consists of a sequence of normal MATLAB statements. For example, type all
the commands for generating the figure into a single script file and save as “sineplot.m”.
Then the MATLAB command “sineplot” will cause the statements in the file to be
executed. Try it.

Function files

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You can create new functions specific to your problem, which will then have the same
status as other MATLAB functions. Variables in a function files are by default local,
otherwise need to be declared as “global”. The function file will start with

function [y1, y2, ..] = Function Name (x1, x2, …)

Here is a simple example. The file myrand.m contains the statements

function x = myrand(l, u, row, col)

% generate uniformly-distributed random number matrix (row, col) between low-
% bound l and upper-bound u.
x = l + rand(row, col).* (u-l);

We would like to generate a 2 by 3 random matrix between 1.5 and 4.5

» a = myrand(1.5, 4.5, 2, 3)

a=

4.2654 2.0288 4.3064

3.7146 2.7171 4.2507

Numerical Integration / ODE Solver

Numerical Integration (Quadrature)

To integrate sin(x) from 0 to pi/4,
» q = quad('sin', 0, pi/4)

q=

0.2929

Create an M-file called hump.m

function y = hump(x)
y = 1./(x-.3).^2 + .01) + 1./((x-.9).^2 + .04) –7;

try out “q = quad(‘hump’, 0, 1)”.

Differential Equation Solver

MATLAB's functions for solving ordinary differential equations are
ode23 – 2nd/3rd order Runge-Kutta method
ode45 – 4th/5th order Runge-Kutta method

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First transform a high-order differential equation into a set of first-order differential
equations. Then create a function M-file containing these differential equations. For
example,

x&1 = x1 (1 − x 22 ) − x 2
x& 2 = x1

Create a file called “vdpol.m”,

function xdot = vdpol(t,x)

xdot = zeros(2,1);
xdot(1) = x(1).*(1-x(2).^2)-x(2);
xdot(2) = x(1);

To simulate the differential equation defined in “vdpol” over the interval [0,20], invoke
ode23

t0 = 0; tf = 20;
x0 = [0 0.25]’; % Initial conditions
[t,x] = ode23(‘vdpol’, [t0 tf], x0);
plot (t, x)

-1

-2

-3
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Type “help ode23” to find out all the other options.

SIMULINK is a comprehensive extension to MATLAB for the simulation of differential

equations, we will address it later on.

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 Setting Up Control Systems

Creating transfer function

Consider a single-input single-output system (SISO) given by

5( s + 5.3)
G ( s) =
( s + 2.1)( s + 15)

You can create G(s) using “TF” in MATLAB,

» num = 5*[1 5.3];

» den = conv([1 2.1], [1 15]);
» sys_1 = TF(num, den)

Transfer function:
5 s + 26.5
-------------------
s^2 + 17.1 s + 31.5

For SISO models, “num” and “den” are row vectors listing the numerator and
denominator coefficients in descending powers of s by default.

Creating state space model

Create state-space models in MATLAB is analogous to creating transfer function. Type
in A, B, C, D matrices and use command “SS”,

» A = [-23.5 -13.1 -4.5; 1.8 0 0; 0 1 0];

» B = [1 0 0]';
» C = [ 0 18 23];
» D = 0;
» sys_2 = SS(A, B, C, D)

a=
x1 x2 x3
x1 -23.5 -13.1 -4.5
x2 1.8 0 0
x3 0 1 0

b=
u1
x1 1
x2 0
x3 0

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 c=
x1 x2 x3
y1 0 18 23

d=
u1
y1 0

Transformation between transfer function and state-space models

It is easy to transform a transfer function model into a state-space model, or vice versa.

1) Transform sys_1 from transfer function model to state-space model

» sys_1_ss = SS(sys_1)

a=
x1 x2
x1 -17.1 -3.9375
x2 8 0

b=
u1
x1 4
x2 0

c=
x1 x2
y1 1.25 0.82813

d=
u1
y1 0

2) Transform sys_2 from state-space model into transfer function model

» sys_2_tf = TF(sys_2)

Transfer function:
32.4 s + 41.4
------------------------------
s^3 + 23.5 s^2 + 23.58 s + 8.1

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Other commands on building models and extract data from a model
zpk - Create a zero/pole/gain model.
ssdata - Extract state-space matrices.
zpkdata - Extract zero/pole/gain data.
tfdata - Extract numerator(s) and denominator(s).

Computing and Plotting Time Response

For example, we would like to compute and plot step response for a system with no
zeros, poles at s= -1+3i and s = -1-3i, and a gain of 3.

» sys_3 = zpk ([], [-1+3*i -1-3*i], 3)

Zero/pole/gain:
3
---------------
(s^2 + 2s + 10)

» step (sys_3)

Step Response

0.4

0.35

0.3

0.25
Amplitude

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time (sec.)

The other commands are

impulse – for impulse response
initial -- for initial response
Type help to figure out how to use them.

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 Root Locus Plots
For example, draw root locus plot for a transfer function model
s+2
G(s) =
2
s + 4s + 9

» num =[1 2];

» den = [1 4 9];
» rlocus(num, den)

2.5

1.5

0.5
Imag Axis

-0.5

-1

-1.5

-2

-2.5
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
Real Axis

Find out how to plot root locus for state-space model.

Frequency Domain Plots

Bode Plot
» num =[1 2];
» den = [1 4 9];
» bode(num, den)

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 Bode Diagrams

-10

Phase (deg); Magnitude (dB)

-15

-20

-20

-40

-60

-1 0 1
10 10 10
Frequency (rad/sec)

SIMULINK
SIMULINK is a program for simulating dynamic systems. It has two phases of use:
model definition and model analysis. Model definition uses the metaphor of a block
diagram, which is much like drawing a block diagram. Instead of drawing the individual
blocks, blocks are copied from libraries of blocks. After you define a model, you can
analyze it either by choosing options from the SIMULINK menus or by entering
commands in MATLAB’s command window. The progress of a simulation can be
viewed while the simulation is running, and the final results can be made available in the
MATLAB workspace when a simulation is complete.

Open the SIMULINK block library by entering the command

» simulink
in the MATLAB command window.

This command displays a new window containing icons for the subsystem blocks

In1 Out1

Sources Sinks Discrete Linear Nonlinear Connections

Blocksets & Simulink Block Library 2.2

Toolboxes Demos
Copyright (c) 1990-1998 by The MathWorks, Inc.

Select “New” from the “File” menu on its menu bar to open a new empty window labeled
“Untitled”, you can rename it when you save it. The new window is where you construct
your system model by dragging blocks from their original location to the new window.
Notice that when you drag a block to a different window you drag only a copy of the
block.

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Example: Building a simple SIMULINK model for a spring-mass-damper system with
nonlinear friction.
The spring-mass-damper system is taken from the text book, “Dynamic modeling and
control of engineering systems”, Figure 6.6 on Pg. 137.

Open libraries and copy blocks into your model window

Click the window containing icons for subsystem blocks to make it active.
• Double click “Sources”, and then drag “Step” block into your model
window from the “Source” library.
• Double click “Linear”, and then drag “Sum” into your model window
from the “Linear” library. Double click “Sum”, change “list of signs” to “-
+-“.
• Copy two “Gain” blocks from the “Linear” library to your model window,
rename one into “Stiffness”, and one to “1/m”. Click the block “Stiffness”,
select “flip block” from the “Format” menu to flip the orientation of the
block “Stiffness”.
• Copy two “Integrators” blocks from the “Linear” library to your model
window, rename one as “Velocity” and one as “Displacement”.
• Double click “Nonlinear”, and then drag “Coulomb” block to your model
window from the “Nonlinear” library.
• Double click “Sink”, and then drag “Scope” block to your model window
from the “Sink” library, rename the block as “Monitor output”.

Draw lines to connect the blocks

Draw lines to connect the blocks by moving the mouse pointer over a block’s
port and holding down the left mouse button. Making a split flow from a
connection line is done by pressing the right mouse button and drag the new
connection.

Stiffness

1 1
1
s s
Step Sum 1/m Velocity Displacement Monitor
ouput

Coulomb &
Viscous Friction

Change block parameters

• Double click “Step”, set step time as 0.1, initial value as 0, and final value
as 2.

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 • Double click “Stiffness”, set the gain value as 1.0.
• Double click “1/m” block, set the gain value as 1.0.
• Double click “Coulomb friction”, set offset as 0.5 and gain as 1.8.
• Double click “Monitor output”, click the “properties” button next to the
“print” button, set Ymax as 2.5, and Ymin as –0.5.
• Go back to the model window, select “Parameters” from the “Simulation”
menu. Set simulation time: start time = 0.0, and stop time = 5.0

Save the system by selecting “Save” from the “File” menu

Run a simulation by selecting “Start” from the “Simulation” menu
While the simulation is running, the “Start” menu item becomes “Stop”. If you
select “Stop”, the menu displays “Start” again.
Click the “Monitor output” block to monitor your system output

Simulation from the Command Line

Any simulation run from the menu can also be run from the command line. For example,
use the command
[t, x, y] = rk45(‘model’, [tstart, tfinal]);
where model is the name of the block diagram system you build.

Other Ways to View Output Trajectories

Besides using the “Scope” block, output trajectories from SIMULINK can be plotted by
• Return variables and the MATLAB plotting commands
• Using “Workspace” blocks and the MATLAB plotting commands.

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References

1) MATLAB User’s Guide, the MathWorks Inc.

2) SIMULINK User’s Guide, the MathWorks Inc.
3) Leonard, N. E. and W. S. Levine, Using MATLAB to Analyze and Design
Control Systems, The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc.
4) Sigmon, K., MATLAB Primer, Department of Mathematics, University of
Florida.

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