COMPLEX WAVEFORMS

A complex waveform is one that not sinusoidal. Such a waveform is composed of the sum of
a series of sinusoidal waves with various interrelated periodic times.
A function f(t) is said to be periodic if f(t + T) = f(t) for all values of t, where T is the
interval between two successive repetitions and is called the period of the function f(t).
A sine wave having a period of 2π/Ꞷ is an example of aperiodic function.
A typical complex periodic-voltage waveform, shown below, has period T seconds and
frequency f hertz. Such complex waveform can be resolved into the sum of a number of
sinusoidal waveforms, and each of the sine waves can have a different frequency, amplitude
and phase.
The initial, major sine wave component has a frequency f equal to the frequency of the
complex wave and this frequency is called the fundamental frequency. The other sine wave
components are known as harmonics, these having frequencies which are integer multiples
of frequency f. Hence, the second harmonic has a frequency of 2f; the third harmonic has a
frequency of 3f, and so on.
If the fundamental frequency is 50Hz, then the third harmonic frequency is 150Hz the fourth
200Hz etc.

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The general equation for a complex waveform
The instantaneous value of a complex voltage wave acting in a linear circuit may be
represented by the general equation;
Harmonic Synthesis
By adding the instantaneous values of the fundamental and progressive harmonics of a
complex wave for given instants in time, the shape of a complex waveform can be gradually
built up. This graphical procedure is harmonic synthesis.
- Whenever odd harmonics are added to a fundamental waveform, whether initially in
phase with each other or not, the positive and negative half cycles of the resultant
complex wave are identical in shape. This is a feature of waveforms containing a
fundamental and odd harmonics and is true whether harmonics are added or
subtracted from the fundamental.
- Whenever even harmonics are added to a fundamental component:
(a) If the harmonics are initially in phase or if there is a phase-shift of π rad, the
negative half-cycle, when reversed, is a mirror image of the positive half-cycle about
a vertical line drawn through time, t = T/2;
(b) If the harmonics are initially out of phase with each other (i.e., other than π rad),
the positive and negative half-cycles are dissimilar.
- Whenever a waveform contains both odd and even harmonics:
(a) if the harmonics are initially in phase with each other, the negative cycle, when
reversed, is a mirror image of the positive half-cycle about a vertical line drawn
through time, t = T/2;
(b) if the harmonics are initially out of phase with each other, the positive and
negative half-cycles are dissimilar.

Root mean square (rms) value of a complex waveform

Power associated with complex waveforms