Periodic function:

A function f(t) is said to be periodic with the period

T if f(t+T)=f(t).
Example:
sint and cost are periodic with period 2π.

Note that f(t+nT)=f(t) for all positive integer n

Laplace transform of periodic function

If f (t ) is a periodic function with period T, then

1 T
L( f (t ))   st f (t )dt
 e
1  e sT 0
Proof:

L( f (t ))   e  st f (t )dt
0
T 2T
  e  st f (t ) dt   e  st f (t ) dt
0 T .....(1)
( n 1)T
   e  st f (t ) dt  
nT

( n 1)T
Consider  e  st f (t )dt
nT

Take u  t  nT ,

du  dt and t  u  nT .
Now,
(n 1)T T
e  st f (t )dt   e  s (u  nT ) f (u  nT )du

nT 0
T
e  snT  su f (u  nT )du
 e
0 ‘
T
e  snT  st f (t  nT )dt
 e
0
n T  st

 e  sT
  e
0
f (t )dt.

(n 1)T nT
Therefore, 
nT
e  st f (t ) dt  e sT

 e
0
 st f (t ) dt. .......(2)
Now, using (2), the eqn.(1) becomes
T T 2T
 st
L( f (t ))   e f (t ) dt  e
0
 sT  st
 
 e f (t )dt  e
0
 sT  st
 e f (t )dt
0
nT
 
  e  sT  st
 e f (t )dt  
0

 T  st
   
  sT  sT 2  sT n
 1  e  e   e     e f (t )dt
 
 0
1 T
  st
 e f (t ) dt.
1  e sT 0
Find the Laplace transform of f(t) where
f (t )  t ;0  t  2 and f (t  2 )  f (t ).
Soln: Now, since f(t) is periodic function with period 2π,
2
1  st
L( f (t )) 
1 e  2 s  e f (t )dt (1)
0
 2 2
Now,  e st f (t )dt   e st t dt
0 0
2 2
 e st   e st 
 t      dt
 ( s)   ( s) 
0 0  
2 2
 e st   e st 
 t   
 ( s)   ( s)2 
0  0
 e2 s   e2 s 1 
  2  0    
 ( s)   ( s)2 ( s)2 

1  2 se2 s  e2 s
 .
s2
Now, (1) becomes

1  1  2 se2 s  e2 s 
L( f (t ))   .
1  e2 s  s2 

Problem:

Find the Laplace transform of the triangular

wave f (t) of period 2a given by
t : 0t a
f (t)   .
 2 a  t : a  t  2 a
Or

Find the Laplace transform of the function f (t)

given by
t : 0ta
f (t)   . and
 2 a  t : a  t  2a
f (t+2a)  f (t ), for all t. .
Soln: Now, since the function f (t) of period 2a,
the Laplace transform

1 T  st
L( f (t ))   e f (t )dt
1  e sT 0
1 2a
 e  st f (t )dt (1)

1 e 2 as
0
Now,
2a a 2a
 st  st  st
 e f (t )dt   e f (t )dt   e f (t )dt
0 0 a
a 2a
  e tdt   e st (2a  t )dt.........(2)
 st
0 a
Now,
a
a a  e st  1 a  st
 st  st
 e tdt   te dt  t    e dt
0 0  s  s0
 0
a a
 e st  1  e st 
 t    
 s  s  s 
 0  0
 ae sa  1  e sa 1 
   0    
 s  s  s s 
   
1 ae sa e sa
   ....................(3)
s 2 s s 2
Now,
2a 2a
 st (2a  t ) dt   (2 a  t )e st dt
 e
a a
2a
 e  st  1 2a  st
 (2 a  t )    e dt
 s  s a
 a
2a 2a
 e  st  
1 e  st 
 (2 a  t )    
 s  s  s 
 a  a
 ae sa  1  e2 sa e sa 
 0     
 s  s  s s 
   
ae  sa e 2 sa e  sa
   ................(4)
s s 2 s 2
Now, from (2), (3) and (4), we have

2a
 st 1 ae sa e sa ae sa e2sa e sa
 e f (t )dt      
0 s2 s s2 s s2 s2
1 e sa e2sa e sa
   
s2 s2 s2 s2
 
1
s2

1  2e sa  e2sa

 1  2e  e    1  e  .......(5)
1  2 1 2
 sa  sa  sa
  2
s2   s
Now, from (1) and (5), we have

 
 1  1 2
L( f (t ))   1 e  sa
   
 
 1  e2as   s2 
  1
 
1 2
  1 e  sa
 (1  e  as )(1  e  sa )  s 2

1  e sa
 .
s 2 (1  e sa )