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Lightning Protection Calculation

The document discusses calculating the need for lightning protection on structures according to BS 6651. It provides formulas to calculate the effective collection area of a structure and the probable number of strikes per year. It then outlines how to calculate the overall risk factor by considering location, collection area, and weighting factors for use, construction, contents, isolation, and country type. An example calculation is shown for a structure with dimensions of 116m x 140m x 9m tall that results in an overall risk factor above the threshold of needing lightning protection. The document also discusses NFPA 780 requirements that at least two down conductors be provided and additional down conductors be added so the average distance between them does not exceed 100 feet.

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55 views5 pages

Lightning Protection Calculation

The document discusses calculating the need for lightning protection on structures according to BS 6651. It provides formulas to calculate the effective collection area of a structure and the probable number of strikes per year. It then outlines how to calculate the overall risk factor by considering location, collection area, and weighting factors for use, construction, contents, isolation, and country type. An example calculation is shown for a structure with dimensions of 116m x 140m x 9m tall that results in an overall risk factor above the threshold of needing lightning protection. The document also discusses NFPA 780 requirements that at least two down conductors be provided and additional down conductors be added so the average distance between them does not exceed 100 feet.

Uploaded by

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© © All Rights Reserved
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12.

Lightning Protection calculation


1- PROBABILITY OF LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM CALCULATION
ACCORDING TO BS 6651
* THE NEED FOR PROTECTION
BEFORE PRCEEDING TO DESIGN A DETAILED LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM,
FIRST CAREFULLY CONSIDER IF THE STRUCTURE NEEDS PROTECTION.
IN MANY CASES, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT SOME FORM OF PROTECTION IS REQUIRED.
HIGH RISK STRUCTURES AS EXPLOSIVE FACTORIES, OIL REFINERIES, ETC. WILL
REQUIRE THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASS OF LIGHTNING PROTECTION TO BE
PROVIDED. IN MANY OTHER CASES THE NEED OF PROTECTION IS NOT SO EVIDENT.
BS 6651 PROVIDE A SIMPLE MATHMATICAL OVERALL RISK FACTOR ANALYSIS FOR
ASSESSING WHETHER STRUCTURE NEEDS PROTECTION.
IT SUGGESTS THAT AN ACCEPTABLE LIGHTING STRIKE RISK FACTOR 10^(-5) PER
YEAR .ie,1 IN 100,000 PER YEAR THEREFORE, HAVING APPLIED THE MATHEMATICAL
ANALYSIS TO A PARTICULAR SET OF PARAMETER, THE SCHEME DESIGNER WILL
ACHIEVE ANUMERICAL SOLUTION. IF THE RISK FACTOR IS LESS THAN 10^(-5) A
SUITABLE ANALOGY COULD BE MADE WITH THE ODDS IN HORSE RACING. THE
SHORTER THE(EG 5 TO 1) THE MORE LIKELY THE HORSE WILL WIN THE RACE.
THE LONGER THE ODDS(EG 100TO1) LIKELY THE HORSE WILL WIN THE SHORTER
THE RISK FACTOR (EG 1 IN 10,000) THE GREATER THE RISK THAT A STRUCTURE WILL
BY LIGHTING.THE LONGER THE RISK FACTOR (EG 1 IN 1,000,000) THE LESS LIKELY THE
STRUCTURE HIT BY THE LIGHTING IT IS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT CERTAIN FACTORS
CAN NOT BE ASSESSED IN THIS WAY AND THESE RIDE ALL OTHER CONSIDERATION.
FOR EXAMPLE,IF THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT THERE SHOULD AVOIDABLE RISK
TO LIFE OR REQUIREMENT FOR OCCUPANTS OF A BUILDING TO ALWAYS FEEL SAFE,
TO WILL FAVOUR THE ISTALLATION OF PROTECTION , EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD
NORMALLY BE ACCEPTED PROTECTION IS UNNECESSARY.THESE ARE DECISIONS
CONSULTANT /ARCH CLIENT CAN MAKE.THAT PREHAPS ONLY THE
THE FACTORS WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR DETERMINING AN OVERALL
RISK FACTOR CAN BE SUMMARISED AS FOLLOWS.
A) THE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF THE STRUCTURE.
B) THE EFFECTIVE COLLECTION AREA OF THE STURCTURE.
C) WEIGHTING FACTOR A ( USE OF THE STRUCTURE )
D) WEIGHTING FACTOR B ( TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION )
E) WEIGHTING FACTOR C ( CONTENTS OR CONSEQUENTIAL EFFECTS )
F) WEIGHTING FACTOR D ( DEGREE OF ISOLATION )
G) WEIGHTING FACTOR E ( TYPE OF COUNTRY )
W

H
W

L
THE EFFECTIVE COLLECTION AREA OF STRUCTURE ( Ac ) :

Ac = LW + 2LH + 2WH + ʌ H^2


WHERE
L = LENGTH OF THE STRUCTURE
W = WIDTH OF THE STRUCTUR
H = HIGHT OF THE STRUCTUR

1 Contract No. PID N-075106


* THE PROBABLE NUMBER OF THE STRIKE TO THE STRUCTURE PER YEAR
(SYMBOL P) ISTHE PRODUCT OF THE FLASH DENSITY AND THE COLLECTION
AREA
P = Ac * Ng * 10^(-6)
WHERE
P = THE PROBABLE NUMBER OF THE STRIKE TO THE STRUCTURE PER YEAR
Ng = THE FLASH DENSITY
( 10^ - 6 ) IS INCLUDED BECAUSE ( Ac ) IS IN METERS SQUARED WHEREAS
( Ng ) IS PER KILOMETER SQUARED.
* THE OVERALL WEIGHTING FACTOR = A * B * C * D * E
WHERE
* WEIGHTING FACTOR A ( USE OF THE STRUCTURE )
* WEIGHTING FACTOR B ( TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION )
* WEIGHTING FACTOR C ( CONTENTS OR CONSEQUENTIAL EFFECTS)
* WEIGHTING FACTOR D ( DEGREE OF ISOLATION )
* WEIGHTING FACTOR E ( TYPE OF COUNTRY )
THE OVERALL RISK FACTOR =
PROBABILITY OF BEING STRUCK * OVERALL WEIGHTING FACTOR

AS THE 10^(- 5) ( 1 IN 100,000 ) IS THE CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING


WHEATHER PROTECTION IS NECESSARY
IF THE RISK FACTOR IS 10^- 4 ( 1 IN 10,000 ) THE PROTECTION IS NECESSARY
IF THE RISK FACTOR IS 10^- 6 ( 1 IN 1000,000 ) THE PROTECTION IS
NOT NECESSARY

WEIGHTING FACTOR A ( USE OF STRUCTURE )


USE TO WHICH STRUCTURE IS PUT VALUE OF FACTOR A
Housing and other building of comfortable size. 0.3
Housing and other building of comfortable size with
out side aerial. 0.7
Factories,work shop and laboratories. 1
Office blocks, hotels,blocks of flats and other
residential building other than lose included below. 1.2
Places of assembly,eg churches,hall,theater
exhibition,department,stores,post office,air ports
stations and stadium srtucture. 1.3
Schools,hospitals,children's and other homes. 1.7

WEIGHTING FACTOR B (TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION)


TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION VALUE OF FACTOR B
Steel framed encasedwith any roof otherthan metal* 0.2
Rein force concrete with any roof other than metal . 0.4
Steel framed encased or rein force concrete with
metal roof. 0.8
Strick,plain concrete or masonary with any roof
other than metal or thacth. 1
Chimber framed or clad with any roof other than
metal or othacth. 1.4
Strick,plain concrete,masonary,timber framed
but with metal roofing. 1.7
Any building with thacthed roof. 2

2 Contract No. PID N-075106


WEIGHTING FACTOR C
(CONTENTS OR CONSEQUENTIAL EFFECTS)
CONTENT OR CONSEQUENTIAL EFFECTS VALUE OF FACTOR C
Ordinary domestic or offices buildings,factories
and work shops not cntaining 0.3
valuable or specially susceptible contents.
Industrial and agriculatural buildings with specially
0.8
susceptible* contents.
Power stations,gasi installation,telephone exchanges,
1
radio stations.
Key industrial plants ancient monuments and historic
buildings museums,art
1.3
galleries or other buildings with specially
valuable contents.
School,hospitals,children's and other homes,
1.7
places of assembly.

WEIGHTING FACTOR D ( DEGREE OF ISOLATION )


DEGREE OF ISOLATION VALUE OF FACTOR D
Structure located in a large area of structure or trees of the same
0.4
or geater height,e.g. in a large town or forest.
Structure located in an area with few other structure or trees
1
of the similar height.
Structere compeletly isolated or exceeding at least twice
2
the height of surrouinding structure of trees.

WEIGHTING FACTOR E ( TYPE OF COUNTRY )


TYPE OF COUNTRY VALUE OF FACTOR E
Flat country at any level. 0.3
Hill country 1
Mountain country between 300m and 900m. 1.3
Mountain country a bove 900m. 1.7

3 Contract No. PID N-075106


THE OVERALL RISK FACTOR =
PROBABILITY OF BEING STRUCK * OVERALL WEIGHTING FACTOR
THUNDER DAYS PER YEAR = 5
FLASHES PER KM^2 PER YEAR = 0.1 TO 0.5 ( Ng )

L = 116 M
W = 140 M
H = 9 M

A = 1.7
B = 0.4
C = 1.7
D = 1
E = 0.3

Ac = 16240 + 2088 + 2520 + 254.34


= 21102.34

P = 0.1 * 21102.34 * 0.000001 = 0.0021102

OVERALL WEIGHTING FACTOR = 0.3468

OVERALL RISK FACTOR = 0.000732 = 7.32 * 10 ^- 4

AS THE 10^(- 5) ( 1 IN 100,000 ) IS THE CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING


WHEATHER PROTECTION IS NECESSARY
THE RISK FACTOR IS 10^- 4 ( 1 IN 10,000 ) THE PROTECTION IS NECESSARY

2- NUMBER OF DOWN CONDUCTOR


ACCORDING TO NFPA 780

Number of Down Conductors. (According to art. 3-9.10)


At least two down conductors shall be provided on any kind of structure, including steeples.
Structures exceeding 250 ft (76 m) in perimeter shall have a down conductor for every 100 ft (30
m) of perimeter or fraction thereof. The total number of down conductors on structures having
flat or gently sloping roofs shall be such that the average distance between all down conductors
does not exceed 100 ft (30 m)

the total perimeter of intermediate school = 720 mt

the No. of down conductor = 720 / 30


= 24
= 24 down conductors (as shown in drawings)

4 Contract No. PID N-075106

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