The Distribution of Ground Potential around Grounding grids under a Direct Lightning Strike

Abstract

Human safety is a major concern in lightning disasters. The step voltage around grounding grids under a direct lightning strike may cause an electric shock to the human body and result in casualty. Therefore, the design of the grounding system plays a crucial role in the safety of personal electricity. In this study, the partial element equivalent circuit method (PEEC) is adopted to calculate the ground potential rise (GPR) at the nearby grounding grids under direct lightning strokes. The influence of the buried depth of the grounding grids on the ground potential distribution is discussed. Different grounding configurations such as single electrodes, fork-type grounding grids, and ground grids are studied. This will facilitate the design of the grounding system and ensure electrical safety.