Comments on the computation of interval Routh approximants

In Bandyopadhyay et al. (1994, 1997), the Routh approximation method was extended to derive reduced-order interval models for linear interval systems. In this paper, the authors show that: 1) interval Routh approximants to a high-order interval transfer function depend on the implementation of interval Routh expansion and inversion algorithms; 2) interval Routh expansion algorithms cannot guarantee the success in generating a full interval Routh array; 3) some interval Routh approximants may not be robustly stable even if the original interval system is robustly stable; and 4) an interval Routh approximant is in general not useful for robust controller design because its dynamic uncertainties (in terms of robust frequency responses) do not cover those of the original interval system.