How-to...

Engineering Guide

How-to Manuals - Common

Topics and Procedures
2023 Release
 REVISION RECORD

Date Version Number Revision Level

November 2021 17.0 0

August 2023 18.0 0

December 2023 19.0 0

 SPECIAL NOTE

Due to the continuous evolution of CDEGS software, you may find that some of the
screens encountered using the present version of the CDEGS package are slightly
different from those appearing in this manual.

Address comments concerning this manual to:

SES & technologies ltd.

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Copyright© 2021-2023 SafEngServices & technologies ltd. All rights reserved.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page

Introduction 1
SECTION 1 1
1.1 File Naming Conventions 1
SECTION 2 3
2.1 Start-Up Procedures 3
SECTION 3 10
3.1 Submit Computation Using SESCAD 10

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 Introduction

INTRODUCTION
This document consists of three sections, each containing information that is pertinent to multiple how-to
manuals:
• File Naming Conventions
• Start-Up Procedures
• Submit Computation Using SESCAD

SECTION 1
1.1 File Naming Conventions
Make sure you can differentiate which input and output files are created by CDEGS software. All these files
have the following naming convention:

XY_JobID.Fnn

where XY is a two-letter code corresponding to the program that created the file or will read the file as input.
The JobID is an alphanumerical string that is used to label all files produced during a given CDEGS run. It
helps identify the corresponding input, computation, results, and plot files. The nn variable consists of two
digits in the extension indicating the file type.
The table below displays two-letter codes used in the file names for many of the CDEGS programs:
Application File name code Application File name code
RESAP RS FCDIST FC
MALT MT HIFREQ HI
MALZ MZ FFTSES FT
TRALIN TR SPLITS SP
SESTLC TC SESShield-3D SD
CorrCAD CC SESShield-2D SL
ROWCAD RC SESShield LS
GRSPLITS-3D SP SESEnviroPlus TR
AutoGroundDesign AD SESeBundle BE
SESAmpacity AP SESThreshold TH
SESImpedance FM SESCrossSection XS
SESCircuitSimulator SP CSIRPS* CS
SESCurveFitDigitizer CD TransformerDataEditor SP/HI
TransposIT TP SESPlotViewer PL
SESCPCalculator CP SESTrainSimulator TN

* The CSIRPS module is internally used to generate graphics and reports.

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Four of the most common file types are:

• .F05 Command input file (for computation application programs). This is a text file that can be opened
by any text editor (i.e., SESTextEditor, Notepad, or WordPad) and can be manually modified by
experienced users.
• .F09 Computation results file (for computation application programs). This is a text file that can be
opened by any text editor.
• .F21 Computation database file (for computation application programs). This is a binary file that can be
loaded only by CDEGS software for reports and graphics display.
• .F33 Computation database file (for the computation application programs MALT, MALZ and HIFREQ
only). This is a binary file that stores current distribution to recover.
For further details on CDEGS file naming conventions and JobID, consult the CDEGS Online Help by
pressing F1 in the main CDEGS interface and navigating to Using CDEGS | Working With CDEGS
Projects | File Naming Conventions.

In CDEGS- Legacy, the same help entry is available under the menu Help | Contents | File Naming
Conventions.

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 SECTION 2

SECTION 2
2.1 Start-Up Procedures
This section provides an overview of the structure of the SES Software folder and a brief description of the
software packages and tools.
In the SES Software <Version#> group folder, where <Version#> is the version number of the software, the
icons representing the following software packages are displayed: AutoGrid Pro, AutoGroundDesign,
CDEGS, CorrCAD, Right-of-Way, ROWCAD (Right-of-Way), SESEnviroPlus, SESShield-2D, SESShield-
3D, and SESTLC.

You will also see subfolders, such as the Documentation folder, which contain help documents for various
utilities and software packages, as well as how-to manuals, quick start guides, mini how-to guides, video
tutorials, and support. The Program Folders provides shortcuts to documentations, installations, and projects
subfolders. The System folder allows you to set up and manage the security keys, select preferences and run
mode, and change program features. Various utilities can be found in the Tools folder:

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A brief description of each software package and utility is provided below.

SOFTWARE PACKAGES
• AutoGrid Pro: Provides a simple, integrated environment for carrying out detailed grounding studies.
This package combines the computational power of the RESAP, MALT and FCDIST computation
modules with a simple, largely automated interface.
• AutoGroundDesign: Offers powerful and intelligent functions that help electrical engineers design safe
grounding installations quickly and efficiently. The time devoted to designing a safe and cost-effective
grounding grid is minimized using automation techniques and appropriate databases. This module can
help considerably reduce the time needed to complete a grounding design.
• Right-of-Way: A powerful integrated software package for the analysis of electromagnetic interference
between electric power lines and adjacent installations such as pipelines and communication lines. It is
especially designed to simplify and automate the modeling of complex right-of-way configurations. The
Right-of-Way interface runs the TRALIN, SPLITS, and MALZ computation modules and several other
related components in the background.
• ROWCAD (Right-of-Way): Provides a 3D graphical environment to carry out AC interference analysis
for complicated right-of-way configurations.
• SESEnviroPlus: A sophisticated program that evaluates the environmental impact (radio interference,
audible- noise, corona losses, scalar potential, and electromagnetic fields) of AC, DC, or hybrid

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transmission line systems. The corona electric field and potential, as well as ion current density generated
from HVDC lines can also be calculated. Line parameters are also provided.
• SESShield-2D: Used to assess risks associated with lightning strikes to structures and to the services
entering those structures, in accordance with IEC 62305, and to implement 2D-shielding analyses for
simple substations and transmission lines.
• SESShield-3D: A powerful graphical program for the design and analysis of protective measures against
lightning in complex 3D environments, including substations, power plants or any such installations. Its
3D graphical environment can be used to accurately model systems with complex geometries.
• SESTLC: A simplified analysis tool to quickly estimate inductive, conductive, and capacitive
electromagnetic interference levels on metallic utility paths such as pipelines and railways located close to
transmission or distribution lines (and not necessarily parallel to them), as well as the magnetic and
electric fields of arbitrary configurations of parallel transmission and distribution lines. It can also
compute line parameters.
• CorrCAD: Tackles a large variety of cathodic protection design tasks and related issues, onshore and
offshore, and can also predict the degree of corrosion control provided by a corrosion protective system.
Typical applications for corrosion control include Impressed Current Cathodic Protection systems (ICCP)
and use of sacrificial anodes. Another application is to estimate the effect of stray currents such as those
produced by HVDC electrodes or dc rail traction systems on the corrosion of buried metallic structures.
CorrCAD can evaluate the corrosion status of the structure and help optimize the location and
characteristics of the corrosion protective system (such as ICCP) to minimize stray current interference
effects on protected structures such as pipelines.
• CDEGS: A powerful set of integrated software tools designed to accurately analyze problems involving
grounding, electromagnetic fields and transient phenomena, electromagnetic interference including
AC/DC interference mitigation studies and various aspects of cathodic protection and anode bed analysis
with a global perspective, starting literally from the ground up. It consists of eight computation modules:
RESAP, MALT, MALZ, SPLITS, TRALIN, HIFREQ, FCDIST and FFTSES. This is the primary
interface used to enter data, run computations, and examine results for all software packages other than
AutoGrid Pro, AutoGroundDesign, Right- of- Way, ROWCAD (Right- of- Way), SESEnviroPlus,
SESShield-2D, SESShield-3D, SESTLC and CorrCAD. This interface also provides access to the utilities
listed below.
CDEGS is accessible via a modern, user-friendly, and flexible main interface. A legacy interface, called
CDEGS-Legacy, is also available.
TOOLS
• AutoTransient (a legacy tool): Automates the process required to carry out a transient analysis with the
HIFREQ and FFTSES modules.
• CETU (a legacy tool): Simplifies the transfer of Right-of-Way and SPLITS output data to MALZ or
HIFREQ. A typical application is the calculation of conductive interference levels in an AC interference
study.
• SESTextEditor: An enhanced text editor for F05 and F09 files. It recognizes the command structure of
the module indicated by the file prefix for the loaded F05 files and can provide syntax highlighting and a
command parameter identification tooltip to greatly simplify manual editing of an F05 command input

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file. For the loaded F09 files, it lists the Errors, Messages, and Warnings in the files to help users quickly
identify issues in the model.
• FFT21Data: Extracts data directly from FFTSES’ output database files (files with F21 extension) in a
spreadsheet-compatible format or in a format recognized by the SESPlot utility.
• GraRep (a legacy tool): A program that displays and prints graphics or text files. For more information
on GraRep see Chapter 6 of the Utilities Manual or invoke the Windows Help item from the menu bar.
• GRServer: An advanced output processor which displays, plots, prints, and modifies configuration and
computation results obtained during previous and current CDEGS sessions.
• GRSplits (a legacy tool): Plots the circuit models entered in SPLITS and FCDIST input files. This
program greatly simplifies the task of manipulating, visualizing, and checking the components of a
SPLITS or FCDIST circuit.
• GRSplits-3D: A powerful interactive 3D graphical environment that allows you to view and edit the
circuit data contained in SPLITS input files and simultaneously visualize the computation results.
• SESAmpacity: Computes the ampacity, the temperature rise, or the minimum required size of a bare
buried conductor during a fault. It also computes the temperature of bare overhead conductors for a given
current or the current corresponding to a given temperature, accounting for environmental conditions.
• SESAmpacityBM: Computes the ampacity, temperature rise and other related values for Copperweld
conductors, which are inadequately addressed by the present IEEE Standard 80 methodology implemented
in the existing SESAmpacity tool.
• SESBatch: A utility that allows you to submit several CDEGS computation module runs simultaneously.
The programs can be run with different JobIDs and from different Working Directories.
• SESBatch (beta): The eventual successor to the current SESBatch program which features a revamped
user interface based on the WPF framework as well as a Computation Issues panel where computation
errors, if any, will be reported.
• SESCAD: A CAD program which allows you to create, modify, and view complex grounding networks
and aboveground metallic structures in three dimensions. It is a graphical utility for the development of
conductor networks in MALT, MALZ and HIFREQ.
• SESCAD (beta): It will eventually succeed the current version of SESCAD. It has a 3D engine enabling
components of complex systems to be displayed in greater detail. It also has an interface that, although
significantly modernized, will still be familiar to users of the current version.
• SESCircuitSimulator: An electrical circuit analysis program for studying the performance of a power
system network, considering the presence of all grounding return conductors (such as neutral and shield
wires), ground metallic networks and earth media under normal, imbalance, or fault conditions. It is the
successor of the SPLITS input and output toolbox known to legacy users.
• SESConductorDatabase (a legacy tool): Allows access to the SES Conductor Database. Users can also
view the electrical properties of conductors in the database and add new conductors to it or modify their
properties.

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• SESConverter: A tool used to convert CAD-based (DXF or DWG) files to SES Software F05 input files,
which are based on the SES Input Command Language (SICL). It can also do the reverse conversion, i.e.,
from F05 to CAD. It can be used in a standalone mode or accessed through SESCAD.
• SESCPCalculator: A new tool that performs simple calculations to estimate appropriate cathodic
protection to specific target structures to be protected against corrosion.
• SESCrossSection: Provides an interactive interface with direct visual system representation for the
specification of conductor characteristics and locations within a conductor path cross- section. The
program allows data specification for eventual use in CorrCAD, Right-of-Way, Cable, and Conductor
modes of SESLibrary, SESeBundle, and Circuit, Group and Single modes of the TRALIN module.
• SESCurveFit (a legacy tool): A general curve-fitting tool with a special focus on Polarization Curves
used in CorrCAD. It incorporates a curve digitizer utility as well.
• SESCurvefitDigitizer: A corrosion-analysis supporting tool that offers full digitizer functionalities and
general scientific curve-fitting capabilities.
• SESeBundle: Finds the characteristics of an equivalent single conductor, accurately representing the
series impedance of a bundle of conductors. This utility is particularly useful to simplify models in
modules, such as HIFREQ, where reducing the number of conductors is important to keep the
computation time low.
• SESEnviroPlot: An intuitive Windows application that dynamically displays computation data produced
by the SESEnviroPlus software module.
• SESFcdist: An interactive and flexible interface that allows you to prepare and run input files for, and
view results from, the FCDIST computation module.
• SESFFT: A Fast Fourier Transform computation module designed to help you automate time domain
(lightning and switching surges) analyses based on frequency domain results obtained from CDEGS
computation modules such as SPLITS, MALZ, and HIFREQ. The forward and inverse Fast Fourier
transformations, the sample selection of the frequency spectrum, and related reporting and plotting
functions have been automated in SESFFT.
• SESGSE: Rapidly computes the ground resistances of simple grounding systems, such as ground rods,
horizontal wires, plates, rings, etc., in uniform soils. SESGSE also estimates the required size of such
grounding systems to achieve a given ground resistance.
• SESImpedance: Computes the internal impedance per unit length of long conductors of arbitrary
geometry and composition, and whose cross section does not vary over the length of the conductor. The
program uses the Finite Element Method (FEM) to calculate the electrical characteristics of conductors
and can handle conductors of arbitrary shape and realistic material properties. The calculations fully
account for skin effect and proximity effect, and can be carried out at low or high frequency.
• SESLibrary: Allows you to inspect the properties of many components that can be imported into many
SES Software computation modules. It currently includes comprehensive databases of conductors,
concentric cables, enclosed (pipe- type) cables, GIS/GIL, fence posts, tower structures, CP/Mitigation
conductors, material resistivity, electrical strength, and material native potential. In the standalone mode,
users can also add new conductors in it either directly defining them in SESLibrary with the available

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conductor data or using SESImpedance or SESeBundle to calculate equivalent conductors and export
them to SESLibrary.
• SESPlot (a legacy tool): Provides simple plots from data read from a text file.
• SESPlotViewer: A standalone plotting application that can be used on its own or integrated with other
SES applications, such as SESEnviroPlus and SESResap, for plot rendering. It can generate 2D Line Plot
or Heatmap Plot.
• SESResap: An interactive and flexible interface used to prepare and run input files for, and view results
from, the RESAP computation module.
• SESResultsViewer: A utility for viewing, filtering, and examining computation results in the form of
plots and reports for the CDEGS computation modules: MALT, MALZ, HIFREQ, FCDIST, SPLITS and
RESAP. It offers a complete solution for displaying all computed quantities in an integrated viewer.
SESResultsViewer produces various reports and three types of plots: Configuration Plots, such as
conductors labeling, currents or potentials on the conductors; Computation Plots, such as touch or step
voltages where output results are plotted at specified observation points; and Soil Volume data like
currents or charges on the boundary of a soil volume.
• SESScript: A script interpreter that adds programming capabilities to SES input files. SESScript can
systematically generate hundreds of files from a single input file containing a mixture of the SICL
command language, scripting code and user-defined parameter ranges and increments.
• SESShield: Provides optimum solutions for the protection of transmission lines and substations against
direct lightning strikes and optimizes the location and configuration of shield wires and masts to prevent
the exposure of energized conductors, busses, and equipment. It can also perform risk assessment
calculations associated with lightning strikes on various structures.
• SESSystemViewer: A powerful 3D graphics rendition tool that allows you to view a complete system,
including the entire network and surrounding soil structure. Furthermore, computation results are
displayed right on the system components.
• SESThreshold: A utility that is used to compute touch and step voltage limits, as recommended by
industry standards. Coupled with an intuitive graphical environment, it allows you to specify geometrical
zones that represent areas with different threshold limits. The computed thresholds and zone boundaries
are shown on generated Spot 2D plots, which enable safe and unsafe regions to be easily identified.
SESThreshold can be used as a standalone application or accessed through SESResultsViewer.
• SESTrainSimulator: The most recent addition to the CDEGS family of electromagnetic simulation tools.
It provides an intuitive and simple design environment to help create a railway model efficiently, to assess
average and maximum electromagnetic fields and electric quantities related to the railway.
• SESTralin: An interactive and flexible interface to prepare and run input files for, and view results from,
the TRALIN computation module.
• SESTransient: Automates the analysis of transient phenomena carried out with HIFREQ and FFTSES. It
runs both programs in turn, using the computation frequencies recommended by FFTSES to run HIFREQ,
until user-defined termination criteria are met. It also builds the FFTSES computation databases from the
resulting HIFREQ databases (F21 files). In summary, this integrated tool is used to define the system and
its energization to compute a time domain response.

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• SESZoom: An interactive 3D tool used to define a bounding zoom polygon representing an area to be
plotted in MALT, MALZ, or HIFREQ modules.
• SoilModelEditor: A utility with an interactive graphical interface that assists in the creation of soils
models for all relevant target SES modules. It can be used in a standalone mode or integrated in
application programs.
• SoilModelManager: A software tool that can estimate the variation of soil characteristics at shallow
depth due to changes in environmental conditions (i.e., due to the soil at shallow depth freezing during
winter or drying out during summer). Its calculations are based on soil characteristics obtained from soil
resistivity measurements carried out under “moderate” conditions and on environmental parameters such
as the yearly variation of the temperature, the thermal diffusivity of the soil material, etc. The design
objective of this software is to find a seasonal worst-case soil.
• SoilTransfer: A utility that allows you to transfer soil models found in several SES files into several
MALT, MALZ or HIFREQ input (F05) files.
• TransformerDataEditor: A utility used by supporting applications to specify the characteristics and
locations of single-phase and three-phase power transformers.
• TransposIT: A tool that automates the analysis of the optimum transposition scenario on coupled electric
power line circuits. This utility works on circuit data defined by the SPLITS module. It takes a reference
SPLITS file as input and produces on output a different SPLITS file, with transpositions applied at user-
defined locations, on user-specified circuits.
• WMFPrint: Displays and prints WMF files (Windows Metafiles) generated by CDEGS or any other
software.

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 SECTION 3

SECTION 3
3.1 Submit Computation Using SESCAD
You can submit computation runs directly from SESCAD for a MALT, MALZ or HIFREQ model, by
selecting the Run/Reports | Save & Run menu item. This will start the SESBatch program and automatically
run the computation module. Note that for illustration purposes, a generic grounding grid, modeled with a
MALT file, is shown in the following screenshot.

Once the run is complete, a pop-up window will appear informing you that a log file has been generated.
Click OK to close the message window. SESBatch allows you to conveniently access some of the important
files that it generates. For example, from the Tools | View Run Log File menu item, you can view the log file
generated during the computations. From the Tools | View Output File menu item, you can view the output
file, which may contain errors or warning messages requiring attention. Finally, you can launch
SESResultsViewer directly from the Tools | View Results with SESResultsViewer menu item.
Note that once a run is finished or a database file (F21) with the same JobID exists in the directory folder,
SESResultsViewer can also be directly accessed by clicking Run/Reports | View Results with
SESResultsViewer in SESCAD to examine the results.

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