Analysis of a lightning earthing system using electromagnetic simulations

Abstract

In this paper the behavior of an earthing system when a 100 kA, 10/350 lightning current is applied to a grounded mast is investigated. The numerical calculations were performed using the transient solver of CST Microwave Studio, a finite technique based computer program. CST was used to calculate induced step and touch voltages in the mast under grounded with and without a protecting fence or enclosure around it. The performed simulations show that conventional electrostatic simulation methods based mainly on a soil resistive behavior could ignore some inductive effects which could induce fast changing voltages.