LAPLACE TRANSFORMS

Laplace transform
Important analytical method for solving linear ordinary differential
equations.

Application to nonlinear ODEs? Must linearizefirst.

Laplace transforms play a key role in important process control
concepts and techniques.
Examples:
Transfer functions
Frequency response
Control system design
Stability analysis
Laplace transform of a function, 𝒇(𝒕)

∞
𝑓 𝑠 = 𝐿 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑓 𝑡 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑡
0

transforms a time domain function f(t) into an sdomain function, F(s). Where s is a
complex variable:

Note: Laplace applies only to 𝑓(𝑡) at 𝑡 > 0

Review of Laplace Transform
1. Step function
0, 𝑡<0
𝑓 𝑡 =
𝐴, 𝑡≥0
∞
𝑓 𝑠 = 𝐿 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝐿 𝐴 = 𝐴𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑡
0

𝐴
𝑓 𝑠 =
𝑠
Unit step function, 𝑓 𝑡 = 1, also denote as 𝑢(𝑡)
1
𝑓 𝑠 =
𝑠
Review of Laplace Transform
2. Exponential function
0, 𝑡<0
𝑓 𝑡 =
𝑒 −𝑏𝑡 , 𝑡≥0

The function 𝑓 𝑡 = 𝑒 −𝑏𝑡 where 𝑏 > 0

Can be written as 𝑓 𝑡 = 𝑢 𝑡 𝑒 −𝑏𝑡

∞ ∞ 1
𝑓 𝑠 = 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 𝑒 −𝑏𝑡 𝑑𝑡 = 𝑒 −(𝑠+𝑏)𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑓 𝑠 =
0 0 𝑠+𝑏
Review of Laplace Transform
3. Ramp function
0, 𝑡<0
𝑓 𝑡 =
𝑡, 𝑡≥0

The function 𝑓 𝑡 =𝑡 can be written as 𝑓 𝑡 = 𝑡 𝑢(𝑡)

∞
𝑓 𝑠 = 𝑡 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑡
0

Solve by integration by parts gives:

1
𝑓 𝑠 = 2
𝑠
Review of Laplace Transform
4. Rectangular pulse function

ℎ
𝑓 𝑠 = 1 − 𝑒 −𝑡𝑤 𝑠
𝑠
 𝒅𝒇(𝒕)
Laplace transforms of derivative function,
𝒅𝒕
Where:

𝑑𝑓(𝑡) 𝑓 𝑠 = 𝐿 𝑓(𝑡)
𝐿 = 𝑠𝑓 𝑠 − 𝑓(0)
𝑑𝑡
𝑓(0) is 𝑓(𝑡) evaluated at 𝑡 = 0

General form:

Where, 𝑓 (𝑖) (0) is ith derivative of 𝑓(𝑡) with respect to 𝑡, evaluated at 𝑡 = 0

Example 1
Find the Laplace transform of the function x(t) that satisfies the
differential equation and initial conditions:
Solution of differential equation using
Laplace transform
Consider example 1 where the X(s) of the function X(t) was
found to be

How to solve X(t) from X(s)?

Re-express the complicated transform into simple transforms found in Table 1.
Inversion by partial fraction
Example 3
Find the Laplace transform of the function x(t) that satisfies the
differential equation and initial conditions:

Solve X(t) from X(s)?

Laplace of Integral

Example: Solve the following equation for 𝑋(𝑡), when 𝑋 0 = 3

HW
Important properties of Laplace transforms
in control theory
1. Final Value Theorem (FVT)
 Determine steady-state value and ultimate value

lim 𝑓 𝑡 = lim 𝑠𝑓 𝑠
𝑡→∞ 𝑠→0
Restriction for FVT!!!

 𝑠𝑓 𝑠 does not become infinite for any value of s satisfying Re(s) ≥ 0,

otherwise, 𝑓 𝑡 does not approach a limit as 𝑡 → ∞
Example 4
Find the FVT of the function 𝑋(𝑡) for which the Laplace transform is

1
𝑋 𝑠 =
𝑠 𝑠 3 + 3𝑠 2 + 3𝑠 + 1

FVT: lim 𝑓 𝑡 = lim 𝑠𝑓 𝑠

𝑡→∞ 𝑠→0
Example 5

FVT: lim 𝑓 𝑡 = lim 𝑠𝑓 𝑠

𝑠→∞ 𝑠→0
Important properties of Laplace transforms
in control theory
2. Initial Value Theorem (IVT)

lim 𝑓 𝑡 = lim 𝑠𝑓 𝑠
𝑡→0 𝑠→∞

 𝑁𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑠𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑

Example 6
Find the initial value of the function 𝑋(𝑡) which has the
following Laplace transforms

𝑠 4 − 6𝑠 2 + 9𝑠 − 8
𝑋 𝑠 =
𝑠 𝑠 − 2 𝑠 3 + 2𝑠 2 − 𝑠 − 2
Important properties of Laplace transforms in
control theory
3. Translation of Function

If 𝐿 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑓 𝑠

Then 𝐿 𝑓(𝑡 − 𝑡0 ) = 𝑒 −𝑠𝑡0 𝑓 𝑠

Provided that 𝑓 𝑡 = 0 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡<0

Important properties of Laplace transforms in
control theory
4. Translation of Transform

If 𝐿 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑓 𝑠

Then 𝐿 𝑒 −𝑎𝑡 𝑓 𝑡 = 𝑓(𝑠 + 𝑎)

Example 7
Find the function Y(t), final value and initial value of Y(t)
that satisfies the differential equation and initial
conditions:
𝑑𝑦
+ 𝑦 𝑡 = sin 3𝑡
𝑑𝑡

𝑦 0 =0
Example 8
Express the function given in Figure 1 in the t-domain and the s-
domain.
Example 10
Given the the Laplace transform:

graph the function f(t).

Example 11
Sketch the following functions:

(a)

(b)
Example 12
The function f(t) has the Laplace transform

Obtain the function f(t) and graph f(t).