Design Calculations of Lightning Protection Systems Part Two

In Article " Design Process for Lightning Protection Systems ", I indicated that the Design Process for
Lightning Protection Systems is commonly broken into discrete phases, allowing the lightning protection
designer to present an integrated design package. These phases can be listed as follows:
1. Planning phase,
2. Consultation phase,
3. Detailed Design phase.

Also, in Article " Design Calculations of Lightning Protection Systems Part One ", I explained an
Introduction to design calculations of lightning protection systems.
Today, I will Continue explaining Design Calculations of Lightning Protection Systems.

Design Calculations of Lightning Protection Systems Continued

Third: Detailed Design Phase

The Lightning Protection Design Process involves a number of design steps as in Fig.1.

Fig.1: Lightning Protection Design Process

Step#1: Characteristics of the Structure to Be Protected

A- The Characteristics of the Structure

When Lightning strikes affecting a structure, the Characteristics of the structure
will determine the damage level to the structure itself and to its occupants and
contents, including failure of internal systems. The damages and failures may also
extend to the surroundings of the structure and even involve the local environment.
The Characteristics of the structure include:
1. The design of the building,
2. The environment around the building,
3. The material in the building,
4. The number of lightning strikes to earth in the area of the building,
5. The value of the building and its contents,
6. Sensitive electronics in the building,
7. Loss of revenue In the event of breakdown,
8. Escape facilities and number of staff in the building,
9. Fire protection in the building,
10. The historical and cultural value of the building,
11. The social function of the building,
12. Cable laying up to the building,
 13. Conductivity of the ground in the area of the building,
14. The risk to the surroundings.
1- The Design Of The Building:
A building that is tall and has a large footprint has a greater likelihood of
being struck by lightning. IEC Technical Report No 61662 "Assessment of the Risk of
Damage due to Lightning" contains a method for calculating how often a building
may be expected to be struck by lightning.
2- The Environment Around The Building:
The environment affects the probability that the building will be struck by
lightning. If there are nearby buildings or if the buildings situated in a hollow, the
risk of the building being struck is reduced.
The method in IEC Technical Report No 61661 'Assessment of the Risk of
Damage due to Lighting" can take into consideration these factors and the way they
influence the likelihood of the building being struck by lightning.
3- The Material In The Building:
Ira material used in the building has an effect on the seriousness of the
consequences of a lightning strike. If the material on the outside is electrically
conductive, e.g. sheeting or reinforced concrete, there is a certain natural lightning
protection. These buildings tolerate a lightning strike better than buildings
comprising non-conductive material such as timber or brick. A non-conductive
material can be blown apart by the lightning strike.
4- The Number Of Lightning Strikes To Earth In The Area Of The Building:
Certain areas have a larger mean number of lightning strikes to earth
annually than others. The probability that the building will be exposed to a
lightning strike is larger in areas with a larger mean number of strikes.
5- The Value Of The Building And Its Contents:
If lightning protection is to be installed merely to protect property, the cost
of the lightning protection must be compared with the value of the building's
content. Consideration must also be given to how unique these are Also the
contents of the building must be reviewed to proive the adequate protection
measure, if any, like for presence of combustible or noncombustible materials and
presence explosive or non-explosive materials.
6- Sensitive Electronics In The Building:
Sensitive electronics n the building may be destroyed or cease to function as
a result of a direct strike, overvolrages that are conducted into the bilking, or by
voltage induced into the building by the lightning's electromagnetic pulse.
Here it is important to investigate how important the electronics are for
continued function of the activity in the building, and how serious the consequences
of a failure of the electronics would be. The cost of repairs to the electronics also
affects the need for lightning protection.
7- Loss Of Revenue In The Event Of Breakdown:
If the effect of lightning on the building would cause a breakdown in
operations, it is important to investigate how long and how expensive such a
breakdown would be. Such an investigation should also consider whether such
breakdown could also entail loss of market shares.
8- Escape Facilities And The Number Of Persons In The Building:
For the safety of persons it is important to consider how many persons are
regularly present in the building and if they have limited freedom of movement or
reduced physical mobility. Statistically speaking, it is relatively improbable to be
killed by lightning. This does not, however; mean that lightning cannot strike a
place of assembly, in which case the consequences can be very serious.
9- Fire Protection In The Building:
Good fire protection in the building is important because it can alleviate the
consequences of a fire started by a lightning strike.
A lightning strike can destroy or disrupt fire alarm installations and in this
way negatively affect fire protection.
Lightning often triggers an automatic fire alarm without the outbreak of fire.
A correctly installed lightning protection considerably reduces the risk of this
happening.
10- The Historic And Cultural Value Of The Building:
For a building where lightning protection is being considered only because of
the high historic and cultural value of the building, the probability of the building
being affected by lightning should be investigated.
11- The Social Function Of The Building:
If the building has an important social function, e.g. hospital, nuclear plant
water, gas or electricity installation, major telecommunications installation and
radio stations, alarm and surveillance centers, important installations for the
police, military, rescue services and traffic control, a lightning protection may be
needed.
Other social functions of the building are dwelling house, office, farm,
theatre, hotel, school, church, prison, department store, bank, factory, industry
plant and sports area, a lightning protection should be determined by risk
assessment.
An assessment should be made of the consequences for the pubic if the
installation is knocked out by lightning. It should also be assessed whether the
function which these buildings have are especially important during thundery
weather Or whether a breakdown then can be accepted.
12- Cable Laying Up To The Building:
If electric and telecommunications cables are completely laid in the ground,
the risk that lightning current will be led into the building is less than if the cables
are placed wholly or partly above ground. "Assessment of the Risk of Damage due to
Lightning" contains a method for calculating how often a building will be exposed to
over-voltages.
13- Conductivity Of The Ground In The Area Of The Building:
If the ground has good conductivity, the voltage due to the lightning
decreases over some tens of meters from the site of the strike. If the conductivity
of the ground is low, large voltages may arise along the ground surface over up to
several kilometers from the site of strike. Voltages can then enter the building via
the ground, electric or telecommunications networks or some other metallic
conductor.
In some areas the soil layer is relatively thin, and at times of powerful storms
high voltages can therefore arise over a distance of several kilometers from the site
of strike.
Clay-like materials have good conductivity, while sand, fine sand and stone
have lower conductivity.
14- The Risk To The Surroundings:
The risk to the surroundings should be considered if lightning protection is to
be installed. This mainly applies to industries. For installations which must conduct
 a hazard analysis, lightning and also the effect of Lightning on the security system
must be included as a hazard.
The risk to the surroundings should be considered also for connected lines to
the building (power lines, telecommunication lines, pipelines).

B- Effects Of Lightning On A Structure

Lightning affecting a structure can cause damage to the structure itself and to
its occupants and contents, including failure of internal systems. The damages and
failures may also extend to the surroundings of the structure and even involve the
local environment.
The scale of this extension depends on the characteristics of the structure and
on the characteristics of the lightning flash.

Table-1 reports the effects of lightning on various types of structures as follows:

Type Of Structure
According To Function Effects Of Lightning
and/or Contents
Dwelling-house Puncture of electrical installations, fire and material
damage
Damage normally limited to structures exposed to the
point of strike or to the lightning current path
Failure of electrical and electronic equipment and
systems installed (e.g. TV sets, computers, modems,
telephones, etc.)

Farm building Primary risk of fire and hazardous step voltages as well
as material damage
Secondary risk due to loss of electric power, and life
hazard to livestock due to failure of electronic control
of ventilation and food supply systems, etc.

Theatre Damage to the electrical installations (e.g. electric

Hotel lighting) likely to cause panic
School Failure of fire alarms resulting in delayed fire fighting
Department store measures
Sports area

Bank As above, plus problems resulting from loss of

Insurance company communication, failure of computers and loss of data
Commercial company, etc.

Hospital As above, plus problems of people in intensive care,

Nursing home and the difficulties of rescuing immobile people
Prison
Industry Additional effects depending on the contents of
factories, ranging from minor to unacceptable damage
and loss of production

Museums and Loss of irreplaceable cultural heritage

archaeological site
Church

Telecommunication Unacceptable loss of services to the public

Power plants

Firework factory Consequences of fire and explosion to the plant and its
Munitions works surroundings

Chemical plant Fire and malfunction of the plant with detrimental

Refinery consequences to the local and global environment
Nuclear plant
Biochemical laboratories
and plants

Table-1: Effects of lightning on typical structures

Step#2: Risk Assessment Study

A- What are the benefits from performing risk assessments study?

The benefits from performing the risk assessment study are to:

It provides the basis on which decisions can be made in order to limit

the risks for a given structure.
It makes clear which risks should be covered by insurance.
It is used to Objectify and quantify the risk to buildings and
structures, and their contents, as a result of direct and indirect lightning
strikes.
Determine if lightning protection is required or not.
if required, to select the appropriate lightning class which
determines the minimum lightning protection level (LPL) that is used within
the lightning protection design.

Important Notes:
 There are some minor differences to the procedures, parameters and
parameters values between national standards of different countries like
IEC 62305-2, BS EN 62305-2 and NFPA 780 due to different lightning activity
from country to country coupled with each countrys interpretation and
perception of risk.
These differences occurred to better reflect the localized conditions
and acceptable local tolerable risk. These differences will be highlighted in
next articles.
The decision to provide lightning protection may be taken regardless
of the outcome of risk assessment where there is a desire that there be no
avoidable risk. Lightning protection can be installed even when the risk
management process may indicate that it is not required. A greater level of
protection than that required may also be selected.
Local regulations requirements, if any, may be applicable and have to
be taken into account.

Methods Of Calculations For Risk Assessment Study

The risk assessment study can be done by (4) different methods as follows:

1- Manual Method (equations and tables method),which will be explained as

per:
IEC 62305-2,
NFPA780.

2-Software Method,
3- Excel Sheets Method,
4-Online Calculators Method.

First: Manual Method (Equations And Tables Method) as per IEC 62305-2

Procedure For Performing The Risk Assessment Study By Manual Method

Procedure for performing the risk assessment study includes three parts as
follows:

Part#1: evaluating Need for lightning protection,

Part#2: Determination of Required Protection Measure,
Part#3: evaluating the cost-effectiveness of protection measures.

Part#1: Evaluating Need of Lightning Protection

To evaluate the need of lightning protection, the following steps need to be
carried out a follows:

Step#2-1: Identify the structure to be protected.

Step#2-2: Identify the types of loss relevant to the structure to be protected

Rn, where:

R1 risk of loss of human life,

R2 risk of loss of services to the public,
R3 risk of loss of cultural heritage.

Step#2-3: For each loss to be considered, identify the tolerable level of risk
RT (tolerable means still acceptable).

Step#2-4: For each type of loss to be considered , identify and calculate the
risk components Rx that make up risk Rn which are: RA, RB, RC, RM, RU, RV,
RW, RZ.

Step#2-5: Calculate Rn = Rx

Step#2-6: Comparing the calculated actual risk Rn of each loss to a tolerable

level of risk (RT), then we have (2) cases:

Case#1: If the calculated risk Rn is equal or less than the respective tolerable
risk RTi.e. Rn RT , then Structure is adequately protected for this type of loss
and no lightning protection is required for this type of loss,

Case#2: If the calculated risk Rn is higher than the tolerable risk RT i.e. Rn >
RT, then Install lightning protection measures in order to reduce Rn.

Step#2-7: go back to step#2-4 and make a series of trial and error calculations
until the risk Rn is reduced below that of RT (Rn RT).

Note:
In cases where the risk cannot be reduced to a tolerable level, the site
owner should be informed and the highest level of protection provided to the
installation.
The following flow diagram in Fig.2 shows this procedure for evaluating Need
of lightning protection.
 Fig.2: Procedure for Evaluating Need of Lightning Protection

Part#2: Determination of Required Protection Measure

Repeat from step#2-1 to step#2-6.

Step#2-7 in above procedure: ignored.

Step#2-8: if the lightning protection measure is needed, then we have (3) cases:

Case#1: check if the risk components RA+RB +RU+RV> RT. if yes, Install an
adequate type of LPS. Otherwise, install adequate type of LPMS. Then go back to
step#2-4 to calculate new values of risk components and make a series of trial and
error calculations until the risk Rn is reduced below that of RT (Rn RT).
Otherwise go to case#2.
Case#2: If the structure under study had LPS installed but the Risks still need to be
reduced, you will need to install LPMS. Then go back to step#2-4 to calculate new
values of risk components and make a series of trial and error calculations until the
risk Rn is reduced below that of RT (Rn RT). Otherwise go to case#3.

Case#3: If the structure under study had both LPS and LPMS installed but the Risks
still need to be reduced, you will need to install other protection measures. Then
go back to step#2-4 to calculate new values of risk components and make a series
of trial and error calculations until the risk Rn is reduced below that of RT (Rn
RT).

The other protection measures that can reduce and influence the values of the risk
components are shown in Table-2:

Characteristics of structure or of
internal systems Protection RA RB RC RM RU RV RW RZ
measures
Collection area X X X X X X X X
Surface soil resistivity X
Floor resistivity X X
Physical restrictions, insulation,
warning notice, soil X X
equipotentialization

LPS X X X Xa Xb Xb

Bonding SPD X X X X
Isolating interfaces Xc Xc X X X X
Coordinated SPD system X X X X
Spatial shield X X
Shielding external lines X X X X
Shielding internal lines X X
Routing precautions X X
Bonding network X
Fire precautions X X
Fire sensitivity X X
Special hazard X X
Impulse withstand voltage X X X X X X
 a
Only for grid-like external LPS.
b
Due to equipotential bonding.
c
Only if they belong to equipment.
Table-2: Factors influencing the Risk Components

Notes:

In step#2-8, case#1: If RA+ RB < RT, a complete LPS is not necessary; in this
case SPD(s) according to IEC 62305-3 are sufficient.
In cases where the risk cannot be reduced to a tolerable level, the site
owner should be informed and the highest level of protection provided to the
installation.

The following flow diagram in Fig.3 shows this procedure for Determination of
Required Protection measure.

Fig.3: Procedure for Determination of Required Protection Measure

Notes:

In any case, the installer or planner should identify the most critical risk
components and reduce them, also taking into account economic aspects.
Selected Protection measures shall be considered effective only if they
conform to the requirements of the national relevant standards which may be:

1. IEC 62305-3 or BS EN 62305-3 for protection against injury to living

beings and physical damage in a structure,
2. IEC 62305-4 or BS EN 62305-4 for protection against failure of
electrical and electronic systems,
3. NFPA 780.
Where protection against lightning is required by the authority having
jurisdiction for structures with a risk of explosion, at least a class (II) LPS should be
adopted. Exceptions to the use of lightning protection level (II) may be allowed
when technically justified and authorized by the authority having jurisdiction. For
example, the use of lightning protection level (I) is allowed in all cases, especially
in those cases where the environments or contents within the structure are
exceptionally sensitive to the effects of lightning. In addition, authorities having
jurisdiction may choose to allow lightning protection level (III) systems where the
infrequency of lightning activity and/or the insensitivity of the contents of the
structure warrants it.
When the damage to a structure due to lightning may also involve
surrounding structures or the environment (e.g. chemical or radioactive emissions),
additional protection measures for the structure and measures appropriate for
these zones may be requested by the authorities having jurisdiction.

Part#3: evaluating the cost-effectiveness of protection measures

It may be beneficial to evaluate the economic benefits of providing a

specified protection measure to establish if lightning protection is cost effective.
This can be assessed by evaluating R4: risk of loss of economic value. R4 is not
equated to a tolerable level risk RT but compares, amongst other factors, the cost
of the loss in an unprotected structure to that with protection measures applied
(There is no tolerable risk RT, but rather a cost-benefit analysis).
The procedure for performing Part#3: evaluating the cost-effectiveness of
protection measures, will be explained later in next Articles after finishing parts#1
&2.