Dangerous Voltages due to Direct Lightning Strike into the Communication Tower

Abstract

This paper presents a novel technique for computing dangerous voltages due to direct lightning strike into the communication tower and associated earthing system, which is based on the use of the well-known ATP-EMTP software package. The earthing grid and the communication tower structure are approximated by the circular cross section conductors. In numerical model, conductors are subdivided into segments (1D finite elements) and Clark's model with distributed constant parameters is then applied. Because of the limitations of ATP-EMTP software package, the leakage resistance of buried segments is modelled as additional lumped parameter. Analytical expressions for distributed and lumped segment parameters are derived using the average potential method. Mutual electromagnetic coupling between segments is neglected due to the limitations imposed by the ATP-EMTP software package, which is based on transmission line approach. Separate computer program is developed for obtaining the earth surface transient potential distribution, from which step and touch voltages are then computed.