In this paper, the author uses his recently proposed complex variable generalized distribution theory to expand the domains of existence of bilateral Laplace and
z
transforms, as well as a whole new class of related transforms. A vast expansion of the domains of existence of bilateral Laplace and
z
transforms and continuous-time and discrete-time Hilbert, Hartley and Mellin transforms, as well as transforms of multidimensional functions and sequences are obtained. It is noted that the Fourier transform and its applications have advanced by leaps and bounds during the last century, thanks to the introduction of the theory of distributions and, in particular, the concept of the Dirac-delta impulse. Meanwhile, however, the truly two-sided ‘bilateral’ Laplace and
z
transforms, which are more general than Fourier, remained at a standstill incapable of transforming the most basic of functions. In fact, they were reduced by half to one-sided transforms and received no more than a passing reference in the literature. It is shown that the newly proposed generalized distributions expand the domains of existence and application of Laplace and
z
transforms similar to and even more extensively than the expansion of the domain of Fourier transform that resulted from the introduction, nearly a century ago, of the theory of distributions and the Dirac-delta impulse. It is also shown that the new generalized distributions put an end to an anomaly that still exists today, which meant that for a large class of basic functions, the Fourier transform exists while the more general Laplace and
z
transforms do not. The anomaly further manifests itself in the fact that even for the one-sided causal functions, such as the Heaviside unit step function
u
(
t
) and the sinusoid sin
βtu
(
t
), the Laplace transform does not exist on the j
ω
-axis, and the Fourier transform which does exist cannot be deduced thereof by the substitution
s
=j
ω
in the Laplace transform, which by definition it should. The extended generalized transforms are well defined for a large class of functions ranging from the most basic to highly complex fast-rising exponential ones that have so far had no transform. Among basic applications, the solution of partial differential equations using the extended generalized transforms is provided. This paper clearly presents and articulates the significant impact of extending the domains of Laplace and
z
transforms on a large family of related transforms, after nearly a century during which bilateral Laplace and
z
transforms of even the most basic of functions were undefined, and the domains of definition of related transforms such as Hilbert, Hartley and Mellin transforms were confined to a fraction of the space they can now occupy.
An Asymptotic Approach for the Elastodynamic Problem of a Plate under Impact Loading
