Standing Waves: Transmission Line Failure Caused by Reflected Energy

The creation of standing waves in systems vulnerable to harmonics is of interest in both mechanical and electrical contexts. There are cases of harmonics in electrical oscillating systems as well as mechanical ones. Common characteristics of these “wave” phenomena are transport energy, reflection, and resonance, to list a few. Failures of systems that transport this wave energy, either in the form of sound (longitudinal) waves or electromagnetic (transverse) waves have significant similarities. This paper examines the failure of an energy transport system for electromagnetic waves, a television transmission system, and interprets the investigation of the failure in terms common to both mechanical and electrical systems. Investigating failures that sometimes have an obscure cause-effect relationship, especially if they are rare occurrences, often leads to enhanced design parameters that will prevent future occurrences. The paper concludes that if the cause of the failure cannot be significantly reduced, it can be minimized by closer attention to methods that diminish the effects.