Choose A Solver - MATLAB & Simulink

Choose a Solver - MATLAB & Simulink
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Choose a Solver
To simulate a dynamic system, you compute its states at successive time steps over a specified time span. This computation
uses information provided by a model of the system. Time steps are time intervals when the computation happens. The size
of this time interval is called step size. The process of computing the states of a model in this manner is known as solving
the model. No single method of solving a model applies to all systems. Simulink ® provides a set of programs called solvers.
Each solver embodies a particular approach to solving a model.
A solver applies a numerical method to solve the set of ordinary differential equations that represent the model. Through this
computation, it determines the time of the next simulation step. In the process of solving this initial value problem, the solver
also satisfies the accuracy requirements that you specify.
Simulink provides two main types of solvers —fixed-step and variable-step solvers. You can see the solvers under each type
in the Solver pane of model configuration parameters.
Solver Types
Solvers are broadly classified using these criteria:
• The type of step size used in the computation

˗ Fixed-step solvers solve the model at step sizes from the beginning to the end of the simulation. You can specify the
step size or let the solver choose it. Generally, decreasing the step size increases the accuracy of the results and
increases the time required to simulate the system.
˗ Variable-step solvers vary the step size during the simulation. They reduce the step size to increase accuracy when
the states of a model change rapidly and during zero-crossing events. They increase the step size to avoid taking
unnecessary steps when the states of a model change slowly. Computing the step size adds to the computational
overhead at each step. However, it can reduce the total number of steps, and hence the simulation time required to
maintain a specified level of accuracy for models with piecewise continuous or rapidly changing states.
• The nature of states in the model
https://www.mathworks.com/help/simulink/ug/types-of-solvers.html[22/09/2018 02:29:04]
˗ Continuous solvers use numerical integration to compute continuous states of a model at the current time step based
on the states at previous time steps and the state derivatives. Continuous solvers rely on individual blocks to compute
the values of the discrete states of the model at each time step.
˗ Discrete solvers are primarily for solving purely discrete models. They compute only the next simulation time step for a
model. When they perform this computation, they rely on each block in the model to update its individual discrete
state. They do not compute continuous states.
Compare Solvers
When choosing a solver for simulating a model, consider:
• The dynamics of the system

• The stability of the solution
• The speed of computation
• The robustness of the solver
A solver might not completely satisfy all of your requirements, so use an iterative approach when choosing one. Compare
simulation results from several solvers and select one that offers the best performance with minimal tradeoffs.
There are two ways to select a solver for your model:
• Use auto solver. New models have their solver selection set to auto solver by default. Auto solver recommends a fixed-
step or variable-step solver for your model as well as maximum step size. For more information, see Use Auto Solver to
Select a Solver
• If you are not satisfied with simulation results using auto solver, select a solver in the Solver pane in the model
configuration parameters.
When you build and simulate a model, you can choose the solver based on the dynamics of your model. A variable-step
solver is better suited for purely continuous models, like the dynamics of a mass spring damper system. A fixed-step solver
is recommended for a model that contains several switches, like an inverter power system, due to the number of solver
resets that would cause a variable-step solver to behave like a fixed-step solver.
When you deploy a model as generated code, you can use only a fixed-step solver. If you select a variable-step solver
during simulation, use it to calculate the step size required for the fixed-step solver that you need at deployment.
This chart provides a broad classification of solvers in the Simulink library.
To tailor the selected solver to your model, see Check and Improve Simulation Accuracy.
Ideally, the solver you select should:
• Solve the model successfully.

• Provide a solution within the tolerance limits you specify.
• Solve the model in a reasonable duration.
A single solver might not meet all of these requirements. Try simulating with several solvers before making a selection.
The Simulink library provides several solvers, all of which can work with the algebraic loop solver.
Discrete Continuous Variable-Order
Fixed-Step Explicit Not Applicable Fixed-Step Continuous Explicit Not Applicable

Solvers
Implicit Not Applicable Fixed-Step Continuous Implicit Not Applicable

Solvers
Variable-Step Explicit Choose a Variable-Step Solver Variable-Step Continuous Single-Order Versus Variable-
Explicit Solvers Order Continuous Solvers
Implicit Variable-Step Continuous Single-Order Versus Variable-

Implicit Solvers Order Continuous Solvers
In the Solver pane of model configuration parameters, the Simulink library of solvers is divided into two major types. See
Fixed-Step Versus Variable-Step Solvers.
You can further categorize the solvers of each type:
• Discrete Versus Continuous Solvers

• Explicit Versus Implicit Continuous Solvers
• One Step Versus Multistep Continuous Solvers
• Single Order Versus Variable Order Continuous Solvers
Fixed-Step Versus Variable-Step Solvers
Fixed-step and variable-step solvers compute the next simulation time as the sum of the current simulation time and the step
size. The Type control on the Solver configuration pane allows you to select the type of solver. With a fixed-step solver, the
step size remains constant throughout the simulation. With a variable-step solver, the step size can vary from step to step,
depending on the model dynamics. In particular, a variable-step solver increases or reduces the step size to meet the error
tolerances that you specify.
The choice between these types depends on how you plan to deploy your model and the model dynamics. If you plan to
generate code from your model and run the code on a real-time computer system, choose a fixed-step solver to simulate the
model. You cannot map the variable-step size to the real-time clock.
If you do not plan to deploy your model as generated code, the choice between a variable-step and a fixed-step solver
depends on the dynamics of your model. A variable-step solver might shorten the simulation time of your model significantly.
A variable-step solver allows this saving because, for a given level of accuracy, the solver can dynamically adjust the step
size as necessary. This approach reduces the number of steps required. The fixed-step solver must use a single step size
throughout the simulation, based on the accuracy requirements. To satisfy these requirements throughout the simulation, the
fixed-step solver typically requires a small step.
The ex_multirateshows how a variable-step solver can shorten simulation time for a multirate discrete model.
The model generates outputs at two different rates: every 0.5 s and every 0.75 s. To capture both outputs, the fixed-step
solver must take a time step every 0.25 s (the fundamental sample time for the model).
[0.0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.0 1.25 1.5 ...]
By contrast, the variable-step solver has to take a step only when the model generates an output.
[0.0 0.5 0.75 1.0 1.5 ...]
This scheme significantly reduces the number of time steps required to simulate the model.
Discrete Versus Continuous Solvers

When you select a solver type, you can also select a specific solver. Both sets of solvers include two types: discrete and
continuous. Discrete and continuous solvers rely on the model blocks to compute the values of any discrete states. Blocks
that define discrete states are responsible for computing the values of those states at each time step. However, unlike
discrete solvers, continuous solvers use numerical integration to compute the continuous states that the blocks define. When
choosing a solver, determine first whether to use a discrete solver or a continuous solver.
If your model has no continuous states, then Simulink switches to either the fixed-step discrete solver or the variable-step
discrete solver. If your model has only continuous states or a mix of continuous and discrete states, choose a continuous
solver from the remaining solver choices based on the dynamics of your model. Otherwise, an error occurs.
The solver library contains two discrete solvers—a fixed-step discrete solver and a variable-step discrete solver. The fixed-
step solver by default chooses a step size and simulation rate fast enough to track state changes in the fastest block in your
model. The variable-step solver adjusts the simulation step size to keep pace with the actual rate of discrete state changes
in your model. This adjustment can avoid unnecessary steps and shorten simulation time for multirate models (see Sample
Times in Systems for more information.)
 Note
The fixed-step discrete solvers do not solve for discrete states. Each block calculates its discrete states
independently of the solver.
Explicit Versus Implicit Continuous Solvers

You represent an explicit system by the system of equation
For any given value of x, you can compute by substituting x in f(x) and evaluating the equation.
Equations of the form
are considered to be implicit. For any given value of , you must solve this equation to calculate .
A linearly implicit system can be represented by the equation
M(x) is called the mass matrix and is the forcing function. A system becomes linearly implicit when you use physical
modeling blocks in the model.
While you can apply an implicit or explicit continuous solver to solve all these systems, implicit solvers are designed
specifically for solving stiff problems. Explicit solvers solve nonstiff problems. An ordinary differential equation problem is said
to be stiff if the desired solution varies slowly, but there are closer solutions that vary rapidly. The numerical method must
then take small time steps to solve the system. Stiffness is an efficiency issue. The more stiff a system, the longer it takes to
for the explicit solver to perform a computation. A stiff system has both slowly and quickly varying continuous dynamics.
When compared to explicit solvers, implicit solvers provide greater stability for oscillatory behavior. However, implicit solvers
are also computationally more expensive. They generate the Jacobian matrix and solve the set of algebraic equations at
every time step using a Newton-like method. To reduce this extra cost, the implicit solvers offer a Solver Jacobian method
parameter that allows you to improve the simulation performance of implicit solvers. See Choose a Jacobian Method for an
Implicit Solver for more information. Implicit solvers are more efficient than explicit solvers for solving a linearly implicit
system.
One-Step Versus Multistep Continuous Solvers
The Simulink solver library provides both one-step and multistep solvers. The one-step solvers estimate using the
solution at the immediately preceding time point, , and the values of the derivative at multiple points between tn
and tn-1. These points are minor steps.
Multistep solvers use the results at several preceding time steps to compute the current solution. Simulink provides one
explicit multistep solver, ode113, and one implicit multistep solver, ode15s. Both are variable-step solvers.
Single-Order Versus Variable-Order Continuous Solvers

This distinction is based on the number of orders that the solver uses to solve the system of equation. Two variable-order
solvers, ode15s and ode113, are part of the solver library. They use multiple orders to solve the system of equations.
Specifically, the implicit, variable-step ode15s solver uses first-order through fifth-order equations, while the explicit, variable-
step ode113 solver uses first-order through thirteenth-order equations. For ode15s, you can limit the highest order applied via
the Maximum Order parameter. For more information, see Maximum Order.
Choose a Fixed-Step Solver
Fixed-Step Discrete Solver

The fixed-step discrete solver computes the time of the next simulation step by adding a fixed step size to the current time.
The accuracy and the length of time of the resulting simulation depends on the size of the steps taken by the simulation: the
smaller the step size, the more accurate the results are but the longer the simulation takes. By default, Simulink chooses the
step size or you can choose the step size yourself. If you choose the default setting of auto, and if the model has discrete
sample times, then Simulink sets the step size to the fundamental sample time of the model. Otherwise, if no discrete rates
exist, Simulink sets the size to the result of dividing the difference between the simulation start and stop times by 50.
 Note
If you try to use the fixed-step discrete solver to update or simulate a model that has continuous states, an error
message appears. Thus, selecting a fixed-step solver and then updating or simulating a model is a quick way to
determine whether the model has continuous states.
Fixed-Step Continuous Solvers

The fixed-step continuous solvers, like the fixed-step discrete solver, compute the next simulation time by adding a fixed-size
time step to the current time. For each of these steps, the continuous solvers use numerical integration to compute the
values of the continuous states for the model. These values are calculated using the continuous states at the previous time
step and the state derivatives at intermediate points (minor steps) between the current and the previous time step. The fixed-
step continuous solvers can, therefore, handle models that contain both continuous and discrete states.
 Note
In theory, a fixed-step continuous solver can handle models that contain no continuous states. However, that would
impose an unnecessary computational burden on the simulation. Consequently, Simulink uses the fixed-step discrete
solver for a model that contains no states or only discrete states, even if you specify a fixed-step continuous solver
for the model.
Simulink provides two types of fixed-step continuous solvers — explicit and implicit.
The difference between these two types lies in the speed and the stability. An implicit solver requires more computation per
step than an explicit solver but is more stable. Therefore, the implicit fixed-step solver that Simulink provides is more adept at
solving a stiff system than the fixed-step explicit solvers. For more information, see Explicit Versus Implicit Continuous
Solvers.
Fixed-Step Continuous Explicit Solvers. Explicit solvers compute the value of a state at the next time step as an explicit
function of the current values of both the state and the state derivative. A fixed-step explicit solver is expressed
mathematically as:
where x is the state, Dx is a solver-dependent function that estimates the state derivative, h is the step size, and n indicates
the current time step.
Simulink provides a set of fixed-step continuous explicit solvers. The solvers differ in the specific numerical integration
technique that they use to compute the state derivatives of the model. This table lists each solver and the integration
technique it uses. The table lists the solvers in order of the computational complexity of the integration methods they use,
from the least complex (ode1) to the most complex (ode8).
Solver Integration Technique Order of Accuracy
ode1 Euler's Method First

ode2 Heun's Method Second
ode3 Bogacki-Shampine Formula Third
ode4 Fourth-Order Runge-Kutta (RK4) Formula Fourth
ode5 Dormand-Prince (RK5) Formula Fifth

ode8 Dormand-Prince RK8(7) Formula Eighth
None of these solvers has an error control mechanism. Therefore, the accuracy and the duration of a simulation depend
directly on the size of the steps taken by the solver. As you decrease the step size, the results become more accurate, but
the simulation takes longer. Also, for any given step size, the more computationally complex the solver is, the more accurate
are the simulation results.
If you specify a fixed-step solver type for a model, then by default, Simulink selects the FixedStepAuto solver. Auto solver
then selects an appropriate fixed-step solver that can handle both continuous and discrete states with moderate
computational effort. As with the discrete solver, if the model has discrete rates (sample times), then Simulink sets the step
size to the fundamental sample time of the model by default. If the model has no discrete rates, Simulink automatically uses
the result of dividing the simulation total duration by 50. Consequently, the solver takes a step at each simulation time at
which Simulink must update the discrete states of the model at its specified sample rates. However, it does not guarantee
that the default solver accurately computes the continuous states of a model. Therefore, you may need to choose another
solver, a different fixed step size, or both to achieve acceptable accuracy and an acceptable simulation time.
Fixed-Step Continuous Implicit Solvers. An implicit solver computes the state at the next time step as an implicit function
of the state at the current time step and the state derivative at the next time step. In other words:
Simulink provides one fixed-step implicit solver: ode14x. This solver uses a combination of Newton's method and
extrapolation from the current value to compute the value of a state at the next time step. You can specify the number of
Newton's method iterations and the extrapolation order that the solver uses to compute the next value of a model state (see
Fixed-step size (fundamental sample time)). The more iterations and the higher the extrapolation order that you select, the
greater the accuracy you obtain. However, you simultaneously create a greater computational burden per step size.
How to Choose a Fixed-Step Continuous Solver

Any of the fixed-step continuous solvers in the Simulink product can simulate a model to any desired level of accuracy, given
a small enough step size. Unfortunately, it is not possible or practical to decide without trial, the combination of solver and
step size that will yield acceptable results for the continuous states in the shortest time. Determining the best solver for a
particular model generally requires experimentation.
To select a fixed-step continuous solver,
1. Choose error tolerances. For more information, see Error Tolerances for Variable-Step Solvers.
2. Use one of the variable-step solvers to simulate your model to the level of accuracy that you want. Start with ode45. If
your model runs slowly, your problem may be stiff and need an implicit solver. The results of this step give a good
approximation of the correct simulation results and the appropriate fixed step size.
3. Use ode1 to simulate your model at the default step size for your model. Compare the simulation results for ode1 with
the simulation for the variable-step solver. If the results are the same for the specified level of accuracy, you have found
the best fixed-step solver for your model, namely ode1. You arrive at this conclusion because ode1 is the simplest of the
fixed-step solvers and hence yields the shortest simulation time for the current step size.
4. If ode1 does not give satisfactory results, repeat the preceding steps with the other fixed-step solvers until you find one
that gives accurate results with the least computational effort. The most efficient way to perform this task is to use a
binary search technique:
a. Try ode3.
b. If ode3 gives accurate results, try ode2. If ode2 gives accurate results, it is the best solver for your model; otherwise,
ode3 is the best.
c. If ode3 does not give accurate results, try ode5. If ode5 gives accurate results, try ode4. If ode4 gives accurate
results, select it as the solver for your model; otherwise, select ode5.
d. If ode5 does not give accurate results, reduce the simulation step size and repeat the preceding process. Continue
in this way until you find a solver that solves your model accurately with the least computational effort.
Choose a Variable-Step Solver

When you set the Type control of the Solver configuration pane to Variable-step, the Solver control allows you to choose
one of the variable-step solvers. As with fixed-step solvers, the set of variable-step solvers comprises a discrete solver and a
subset of continuous solvers. However, unlike the fixed-step solvers, the step size varies dynamically based on the local
error.
The choice between the two types of variable-step solvers depends on whether the blocks in your model define states and, if
so, the type of states that they define. If your model defines no states or defines only discrete states, select the discrete
solver. If a model has no states or only discrete states, Simulink uses the discrete solver to simulate the model even if you
specify a continuous solver. If the model has continuous states, the continuous solvers use numerical integration to compute
the values of the continuous states at the next time step.
Variable-Step Continuous Solvers

Variable-step solvers dynamically vary the step size during the simulation. Each of these solvers increases or reduces the
step size using its local error control to achieve the tolerances that you specify. Computing the step size at each time step
adds to the computational overhead. However, it can reduce the total number of steps, and the simulation time required to
maintain a specified level of accuracy.
You can further categorize the variable-step continuous solvers as: one-step or multistep, single-order or variable-order, and
explicit or implicit. (See Compare Solvers for more information.)
Variable-Step Continuous Explicit Solvers

The variable-step explicit solvers are designed for nonstiff problems. Simulink provides three such solvers:
• ode45
• ode23
• ode113
One-Step Order of
ODE Solver Multistep Method Method
Method Accuracy
ode45 X Medium Runge-Kutta, Dormand-Prince (4,5) pair
ode23 X Low Runge-Kutta (2,3) pair of Bogacki & Shampine

ode113 X Variable, Low to PECE Implementation of Adams-Bashforth-Moutlon
High
ODE Solver Tips on When to Use
ode45 In general, the ode45 solver is the best to apply as a first try for most problems. For this reason, ode45 is the default
solver for models with continuous states. This Runge-Kutta (4,5) solver is a fifth-order method that performs a
fourth-order estimate of the error. This solver also uses a fourth-order “free” interpolant, which allows for event
location and smoother plots.
The ode45 is more accurate and faster than ode23. If the ode45 is computationally slow, your problem may be stiff
and thus in need of an implicit solver.
ode23 The ode23 can be more efficient than the ode45 solver at crude error tolerances and in the presence of mild
stiffness. This solver provides accurate solutions for “free” by applying a cubic Hermite interpolation to the values
and slopes computed at the ends of a step.
ode113 For problems with stringent error tolerances or for computationally intensive problems, the Adams-Bashforth-
Moulton PECE solver can be more efficient than ode45.
Variable-Step Continuous Implicit Solvers

If your problem is stiff, try using one of the variable-step implicit solvers:
• ode15s
• ode23s
• ode23t
• ode23tb
One-Step Multistep Order of Solver Reset

ODE Solver Max. Order Method
Method Method Accuracy Method
ode15s X Variable, Low X X Numerical Differentiation Formulas

to Medium (NDFs)
ode23s X Low Second-order, modified Rosenbrock

formula
ode23t X Low X Trapezoidal rule using a “free”

interpolant
ode23tb X Low X TR-BDF2
Solver Reset Method. For three of the solvers for stiff problems — ode15s, ode23t, and ode23tb— a drop-down menu for
the Solver reset method appears on the Solver details section of the Configuration pane. This parameter controls how the
solver treats a reset caused, for example, by a zero-crossing detection. The options allowed are Fast and Robust. Fast
specifies that the solver does not recompute the Jacobian for a solver reset, whereas Robust specifies that the solver does.
Consequently, the Fast setting is computationally faster but it may use a small step size in certain cases. To test for such
cases, run the simulation with each setting and compare the results. If there is no difference in the results, you can safely
use the Fast setting and save time. If the results differ significantly, try reducing the step size for the fast simulation.
Maximum Order. For the ode15s solver, you can choose the maximum order of the numerical differentiation formulas
(NDFs) that the solver applies. Since the ode15s uses first- through fifth-order formulas, the Maximum order parameter
allows you to choose 1 through 5. For a stiff problem, you may want to start with order 2.
Tips for Choosing a Variable-Step Implicit Solver. The following table provides tips relating to the application of variable-
step implicit solvers. For an example comparing the behavior of these solvers, see sldemo_solvers.
ODE Solver Tips on When to Use
ode15s ode15s is a variable-order solver based on the numerical differentiation formulas (NDFs). NDFs are related to, but
are more efficient than the backward differentiation formulas (BDFs), which are also known as Gear's method. The
ode15s solver numerically generates the Jacobian matrices. If you suspect that a problem is stiff, or if ode45 failed
or was highly inefficient, try ode15s. As a rule, start by limiting the maximum order of the NDFs to 2.
ode23s ode23s is based on a modified Rosenbrock formula of order 2. Because it is a one-step solver, it can be more
efficient than ode15s at crude tolerances. Like ode15s, ode23s numerically generates the Jacobian matrix for you.
However, it can solve certain kinds of stiff problems for which ode15s is not effective.
ode23t The ode23t solver is an implementation of the trapezoidal rule using a “free” interpolant. Use this solver if your
model is only moderately stiff and you need a solution without numerical damping. (Energy is not dissipated when
you model oscillatory motion.)
ode23tb ode23tb is an implementation of TR-BDF2, an implicit Runge-Kutta formula with two stages. The first stage is a
trapezoidal rule step while the second stage uses a backward differentiation formula of order 2. By construction, the
method uses the same iteration matrix in evaluating both stages. Like ode23s, this solver can be more efficient than
ode15s at crude tolerances.
 Note
For a stiff problem, solutions can change on a time scale that is very small as compared to the interval of integration,
while the solution of interest changes on a much longer time scale. Methods that are not designed for stiff problems
are ineffective on intervals where the solution changes slowly because these methods use time steps small enough
to resolve the fastest possible change. For more information, see Shampine, L. F., Numerical Solution of Ordinary
Differential Equations, Chapman & Hall, 1994.
Support for Zero-Crossing Detection

The variable-step discrete and continuous solvers use zero-crossing detection (see Zero-Crossing Detection) to handle
continuous signals.
Error Tolerances for Variable-Step Solvers
Local Error. The variable-step solvers use standard control techniques to monitor the local error at each time step. During
each time step, the solvers compute the state values at the end of the step and determine the local error—the estimated
error of these state values. They then compare the local error to the acceptable error, which is a function of both the relative
tolerance (rtol) and the absolute tolerance (atol). If the local error is greater than the acceptable error for any one state, the
solver reduces the step size and tries again.
• The Relative tolerance measures the error relative to the size of each state. The relative tolerance represents a
percentage of the state value. The default, 1e-3, means that the computed state is accurate to within 0.1%.
• Absolute tolerance is a threshold error value. This tolerance represents the acceptable error as the value of the measured
state approaches zero.
The solvers require the error for the ith state, ei, to satisfy:
The following figure shows a plot of a state and the regions in which the relative tolerance and the absolute tolerance
determine the acceptable error.
Absolute Tolerances. Your model has a global absolute tolerance that you can set on the Solver pane of the Configuration
Parameters dialog box. This tolerance applies to all states in the model. You can specify auto or a real scalar. If you specify
auto (the default), Simulink initially sets the absolute tolerance for each state based on the relative tolerance. If the relative
tolerance is larger 1e-3, abstol is initialized at 1e-6. However, for reltol smaller than 1e-3, abstol for the state is
initialized at reltol * 1e-3. As the simulation progresses, the absolute tolerance for each state resets to the maximum
value that the state has assumed so far, times the relative tolerance for that state. Thus, if a state changes from 0 to 1 and
reltol is 1e-3, abstol initializes at 1e-6 and by the end of the simulation reaches 1e-3 also. If a state goes from 0 to 1000,
then abstol changes to 1.
Now, if the state changes from 0 to 1 and reltol is set at 1e-4, then abstolinitializes at 1e-7 and by the end of the
simulation reaches a value of 1e-4.
If the computed initial value for the absolute tolerance is not suitable, you can determine an appropriate value yourself. You
might have to run a simulation more than once to determine an appropriate value for the absolute tolerance. You can also
specify if the absolute tolerance should adapt similar to its auto setting by enabling or disabling the AutoScaleAbsTol
parameter. For more information, see Auto scale absolute tolerance.
Several blocks allow you to specify absolute tolerance values for solving the model states that they compute or that
determine their output:
• Integrator
• Second-Order Integrator
• Variable Transport Delay
• Transfer Fcn
• State-Space
• Zero-Pole
The absolute tolerance values that you specify for these blocks override the global settings in the Configuration Parameters
dialog box. You might want to override the global setting if, for example, the global setting does not provide sufficient error
control for all of your model states because they vary widely in magnitude. You can set the block absolute tolerance to:
• auto
• –1 (same as auto)
• positive scalar
• real vector (having a dimension equal to the number of corresponding continuous states in the block)
Tips. If you do choose to set the absolute tolerance, keep in mind that too low of a value causes the solver to take too
many steps in the vicinity of near-zero state values. As a result, the simulation is slower.
On the other hand, if you set the absolute tolerance too high, your results can be inaccurate as one or more continuous
states in your model approach zero.
Once the simulation is complete, you can verify the accuracy of your results by reducing the absolute tolerance and running
the simulation again. If the results of these two simulations are satisfactorily close, then you can feel confident about their
accuracy.
Choose a Jacobian Method for an Implicit Solver

The Solver Jacobian
For implicit solvers, Simulink must compute the solver Jacobian, which is a submatrix of the Jacobian matrix associated with
the continuous representation of a Simulink model. In general, this continuous representation is of the form:
The Jacobian, J, formed from this system of equations is:
In turn, the solver Jacobian is the submatrix, .
Sparsity of Jacobian. For many physical systems, the solver Jacobian Jx is sparse, meaning that many of the elements of
Jx are zero.
Consider the following system of equations:
From this system, you can derive a sparsity pattern that reflects the structure of the equations. The pattern, a Boolean matrix,
has a 1 for each that appears explicitly on the right-hand side of an equation. Therefore, you attain:
As discussed in Full and Sparse Perturbation Methods and Full and Sparse Analytical Methods respectively, the Sparse
Perturbation Method and the Sparse Analytical Method may be able to take advantage of this sparsity pattern to reduce the
number of computations necessary and improve performance.
Solver Jacobian Methods

When you choose an implicit solver from the Solver pane of the configuration parameters dialog box, a parameter called
Solver Jacobian method and a drop-down menu appear. This menu has five options for computing the solver Jacobian:
• auto
• Sparse perturbation
• Full perturbation
• Sparse analytical
• Full analytical
 Note
If you set Automatic solver parameter selection to error in the Solver Diagnostics pane, and you choose a
different solver method than Simulink, you may receive an error.
Limitations. The solver Jacobian methods have the following limitations associated with them.
• If you select an analytical Jacobian method, but one or more blocks in the model do not have an analytical Jacobian,
then Simulink applies a perturbation method.
• If you select sparse perturbation and your model contains data store blocks, Simulink applies the full perturbation method.
Heuristic 'auto' Method

The default setting for the Solver Jacobian method is auto. Selecting this choice causes Simulink to perform a heuristic to
determine which of the remaining four methods best suits your model. This algorithm is depicted in the following flow chart.
Because sparse methods are beneficial for models having a large number of states, if 50 or more states exist in your model,
the heuristic chooses a sparse method. The logic also leads to a sparse method if you specify ode23s because, unlike other
implicit solvers, ode23s generates a new Jacobian at every time step. A sparse analytical or a sparse perturbation method is,
therefore, highly advantageous. The heuristic also ensures that the analytical methods are used only if every block in your
model can generate an analytical Jacobian.
Full and Sparse Perturbation Methods

The full perturbation method was the standard numerical method that Simulink used to solve a system. For this method,
Simulink solves the full set of perturbation equations and uses LAPACK for linear algebraic operations. This method is costly
from a computational standpoint, but it remains the recommended method for establishing baseline results.
The sparse perturbation method attempts to improve the run-time performance by taking mathematical advantage of the
sparse Jacobian pattern. Returning to the sample system of three equations and three states,
The solver Jacobian is:
It is, therefore, necessary to perturb each of the three states three times and to evaluate the derivative function three times.
For a system with n states, this method perturbs the states n times.
By applying the sparsity pattern and perturbing states x1 and x 2 together, this matrix reduces to:
The solver can now solve columns 1 and 2 in one sweep. While the sparse perturbation method saves significant
computation, it also adds overhead to compilation. It might even slow down the simulation if the system does not have a
large number of continuous states. A tipping point exists for which you obtain increased performance by applying this
method. In general, systems having a large number of continuous states are usually sparse and benefit from the sparse
method.
The sparse perturbation method, like the sparse analytical method, uses UMFPACK to perform linear algebraic operations.
Also, the sparse perturbation method supports both RSim and Rapid Accelerator mode.
Full and Sparse Analytical Methods

The full and sparse analytical methods attempt to improve performance by calculating the Jacobian using analytical
equations rather than the perturbation equations. The sparse analytical method, also uses the sparsity information to
accelerate the linear algebraic operations required to solve the ordinary differential equations.
Sparsity Pattern
For details on how to access and interpret the sparsity pattern in MATLAB ® , see sldemo_metro.
Support for Code Generation

While the sparse perturbation method supports RSim, the sparse analytical method does not. Consequently, regardless of
which sparse method you select, any generated code uses the sparse perturbation method. This limitation applies to Rapid
Accelerator mode as well.
Related Examples
• Use Auto Solver with vdp Model
• Examine Model Dynamics Using Solver Profiler
More About
• Use Auto Solver to Select a Solver
• Solver Pane
• Algebraic Loops
• Understand Profiling Results
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Choose A Solver - MATLAB & Simulink

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Choose A Solver - MATLAB & Simulink

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Choose a Solver - MATLAB & Simulink

• The type of step size used in the computation

• The nature of states in the model

• The dynamics of the system

There are two ways to select a solver for your model:

This chart provides a broad classification of solvers in the Simulink library.

Ideally, the solver you select should:

• Solve the model successfully.

Discrete Continuous Variable-Order

Fixed-Step Explicit Not Applicable Fixed-Step Continuous Explicit Not Applicable

Implicit Not Applicable Fixed-Step Continuous Implicit Not Applicable

Implicit Variable-Step Continuous Single-Order Versus Variable-

You can further categorize the solvers of each type:

• Discrete Versus Continuous Solvers

Fixed-Step Versus Variable-Step Solvers

[0.0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.0 1.25 1.5 ...]

[0.0 0.5 0.75 1.0 1.5 ...]

Discrete Versus Continuous Solvers

Explicit Versus Implicit Continuous Solvers

Equations of the form

A linearly implicit system can be represented by the equation

One-Step Versus Multistep Continuous Solvers

Single-Order Versus Variable-Order Continuous Solvers

Choose a Fixed-Step Solver

Fixed-Step Discrete Solver

Fixed-Step Continuous Solvers

Solver Integration Technique Order of Accuracy

ode1 Euler's Method First

ode3 Bogacki-Shampine Formula Third

ode4 Fourth-Order Runge-Kutta (RK4) Formula Fourth

ode5 Dormand-Prince (RK5) Formula Fifth

How to Choose a Fixed-Step Continuous Solver

To select a fixed-step continuous solver,

Choose a Variable-Step Solver

Variable-Step Continuous Solvers

Variable-Step Continuous Explicit Solvers

ode45 X Medium Runge-Kutta, Dormand-Prince (4,5) pair

ode23 X Low Runge-Kutta (2,3) pair of Bogacki & Shampine

ODE Solver Tips on When to Use

Variable-Step Continuous Implicit Solvers

One-Step Multistep Order of Solver Reset

ode15s X Variable, Low X X Numerical Differentiation Formulas

ode23s X Low Second-order, modified Rosenbrock

ode23t X Low X Trapezoidal rule using a “free”

ODE Solver Tips on When to Use

Support for Zero-Crossing Detection

Error Tolerances for Variable-Step Solvers

Choose a Jacobian Method for an Implicit Solver

The Jacobian, J, formed from this system of equations is:

In turn, the solver Jacobian is the submatrix, .

Consider the following system of equations:

Solver Jacobian Methods

Heuristic 'auto' Method

Full and Sparse Perturbation Methods

The solver Jacobian is:

Full and Sparse Analytical Methods

Support for Code Generation

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