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Calculation of interception efficiencies for air-terminations using a dynamic

electro-geometrical model

Article · October 2011

DOI: 10.1109/SIPDA.2011.6088439

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 Calculation of interception efficiencies for air-
terminations using a dynamic electro-geometrical
model

Alexander Kern, Christof Schelthoff, Moritz Mathieu

Aachen University of Applied Sciences ACUAS,
Juelich, Germany
a.kern@fh-aachen.de

Abstract - The paper firstly presents the method of a dynamic Consequently, planning with the rolling-sphere leads to
electro-geometrical model. In contrast to the classic rolling- possible point-of-strikes, where air-terminations have to be
sphere it does not use fixed radii, it works with a varying radius. placed (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2). However, no information is contained,
The method only uses existing and in international standards how probable are lightning strokes at these individual different
accepted results, fundamentals of lightning physics, and points. One may take as an example a rectangular building with
investigations; on that base a numerical method is elaborated. a flat roof. It is absolutely clear, that the probability of strokes
is much higher at the edges and corners compared to the roof.
Using the dynamic electro-geometrical model, secondly some
However, according to the rolling-sphere method the flat roof
examples of protection with air-termination rods planned with
the classic rolling-sphere according to IEC 62305-3 and for the
as well as the roof’s edges and corners are possible point-of-
classes of protection I – II – III – IV are investigated. It is shown, strikes, and with that they have to be protected by air-
that the interception efficiencies are much higher than terminations. Hence, the “classical” rolling-sphere method does
documented in the standard series IEC 62305. Reason is, that the not directly provide a value of an interception efficiency at the
method of the rolling-sphere is conservative, and that it gives the different point-of-strikes.
planner of lightning protection systems only the points, where On the other hand, detailed risk analysis according to IEC
lightning may strike, but without a rating with a striking 62305-2 [4] needs to assess a probability, that a structure’s
probability. On the other hand this result clearly indicates, that
external lightning protection system is effective against direct
using the classic rolling sphere method one is always on the “safe
side”.
strokes, i.e. protects a structure sufficiently. Therefore also the
knowledge of the interception efficiency of the air-terminations
Keywords: Lightning protection system, air-termination, IEC is useful and important.
62305, electro-geometrical model, numerical method, interception HARTONO and ROBIAH developed a so-called collection
efficiencies surface method (CSM) [5], which is generally the basis of the
investigation described in this paper. However, the CSM still
I. INTRODUCTION used fixed rolling-sphere radii, and with that does not consider
The rolling-sphere method is the basic planning procedure the probability distributions of the lightning current peak
for air-terminations of common structures. It is perfectly based values [1].
on the physics of lightning, it has impressively, worldwide and
since decades shown its quality, and it is fixed in international
lightning standards, e.g. the modern standard series IEC 62305
[1, 2]. The scientific background of the method is the so-called r

electro-geometrical model [3].

For different requirements for lightning protection systems R
(LPS) four lightning protection levels (LPL) are defined, and
based on that finally four classes of a LPS (I – II – III- IV) [1,
2]. They differ regarding the rolling-sphere method in the R R
rolling-sphere’s radius, which is fixed between 20 m and 60 m. r r

With the fixed rolling-sphere radii different smallest peak

values of natural lightning flashes are covered, i.e. lightning
flashes with even smaller values than the fixed one for the used IEC 2140/05

rolling-sphere may strike a structure beside the air-terminations

planned according to [2]. Figure 1. Structure to be protected with rolling spheres
(radius r) – side view [2].
 In the paper the dynamic electro-geometrical model is
described in detail, and the results are discussed for some
r typical examples. The air-terminations of these typical
examples are dimensioned according to the rolling-sphere
method in IEC 62305-3 [2] for the four classes of a LPS (I – II
R – III- IV). Linked with these classes are interception
efficiencies given in the standard series IEC 62305. For the
typical examples the dynamic electro-geometrical model is
applied, to calculate the real interception efficiencies in detail.
r
r
Finally the calculated real interception efficiencies and the
values given in the standard series IEC 62505 are compared.
It should be mentioned, that air-terminations can not always
and for all cases be planned and installed purely based on the
criteria of the interception efficiency. A LPS has to fulfil also
other requirements, hence it is called a “system”. So for
instance to improve the equipotentialization, the current
IEC 2141/05
distribution or the magnetically induced voltages in induction
loops, the installation of further air-terminations may be
Figure 2. Structure to be protected with rolling spheres required.
(radius r) – plan view [2].

The method described in this paper, which is strongly based II. THE DYNAMIC ELECTRO-GEOMETRICAL MODEL
on the electro-geometrical model, does not work with fixed
rolling-sphere radii. In fact the radii are varied, therefore we A. Probability distributions for lightning current peak
call it dynamic electro-geometrical model. With this method a values
detailed calculation of interception efficiencies for air- Probability distributions for lightning current peak values
terminations is possible. The following well-known are very well investigated. The actual so-called “CIGRE data”
fundamentals of lightning physics and simple geometrical are the basis for international standards on lightning
considerations are combined to a numerical method [6]: protection, the standard series IEC 62305. IEC 62305-1,
- The probability distribution for lightning current peak Annex A [1] gives all necessary parameters for the analytical
values of natural lightning, given in IEC 62305-1, Annex description of the density function as a lognormal distribution:
A, Figure A.5 [1], which allows to give a probability
2
value, that a natural first lightning stroke has at least the  I 
  ln 
 
dedicated peak value.
 f (I ) 
1
e
2 2  
- Based on the electro-geometrical model to each lightning 2    I
current peak value I a length of the final jump and with
that the rolling-sphere radius r can be linked, according to For the investigation, the negative and the positive first
IEC 62305-1, Annex A [1]. strokes have to be considered. The parameters for the negative
- The entire surface of the structure to be protected first strokes described via (1) are given in Table 1, for the
including the air-terminations (e.g. rods) is discretized positive first strokes in Table 2.
areally (surface points - SuP).
TABLE I. PARAMETERS OF THE NEGATIVE FIRST STROKE DISTRIBUTION.
- The space outside the structure (above and besides) is
discretized spacially (space points - SpP). Parameter for eq. (1) I < 20 kA I > 20 kA
Mean value  [kA] 61 33.3
- To each space point the closest surface point is defined Logarithmic standard 1.33 0.605
using simple geometrical relations. The distance between deviation 
space point and surface point is the final jump distance.
With that a probability value for a lightning stroke from TABLE II. PARAMETERS OF THE POSITIVE FIRST STROKE DISTRIBUTION.
that space point to the surface point considered can be Parameter for eq. (1)
assessed. Mean value  [kA] 33.9
- The investigation of the closest surface point is performed Logarithmic standard 1.21
deviation 
generally for all space points.
- The probability values for the individual surface points are Finally the individual distributions for negative and positive
added. As we investigate under the assumption of a short strokes are combined, using the ratio 90%/10% according
lightning stroke to the structure, every value finally is to [1].
normalized to a total probability of 100% for a lightning
stroke to the entire structure.
B. Electro-geometrical model
Based on the electro-geometrical model to each lightning
current peak value I a length of the final jump and with that the
rolling-sphere radius r can be linked. Enormous research work
on this subject was performed. Nowadays, the following
description is given, again used in the international lightning
protection standard series IEC 62305 [1]:

  kA
r / m  10  I
0.65
 

Over the years also more relations of rolling-sphere radii

and lightning current peak values are published from different
research groups worldwide; a good overview is given in [3]. Figure 4. Cumulative frequency distribution function P(r) for radius r based
on the lightning current peak value descriptions, given in [1].
This is especially valid for elevated structures, where the
attachment process is clearly different from that for (flat)
objects on the ground. C. Numerical procedure
However, for this investigation only the relation given by The entire surface of the structure to be protected including
(2), which is internationally accepted [1] and based on long- any air-terminations (e.g. rods) has to be discretized areally, as
term measurements of different research groups, is used. well as the ground surrounding the structure (surface points -
Nevertheless, generally also other relations could be used in the SuP). A discretization distance of a few meter is usually
procedure. sufficient. However, in special cases (e.g. heights of air-
termination rods of only some 10 cm – see Table III) a much
Using (2) the distributions for the lightning current peak finer discretization distance is necessary.
values can be transformed into distributions for the length of
the final jump or the rolling sphere radius r. Fig. 3 gives the The space outside the structure (above and besides) is
density functions for a certain radius r, Fig. 4 the cumulative discretized spacially (space points - SpP).
frequency distributions for a radius r covered by the given Using simple geometrical relations or equations, resp., for
value. The following abbreviations are used: each space point the closest surface point can be found. The
- A: negative first strokes only; distance between space point and surface point is the final
jump distance and with that the rolling-sphere radius. For this
- B: positive first strokes only; radius (or the relevant radius interval as a result of the spacial
- C: negative and positive first strokes combined using the discretization) according to (2) an interval of the lightning
ratio 90%/10%. current peak value can be linked. With that finally a probability
value for a lightning stroke from that space point to the surface
Of course, for the dynamic electro-geometrical model and point considered can be given. The steps mentioned above are
therefore also for the next stages of this investigation, only conducted generally for all space points.
distribution C is used, due to the facts, that it is based on the
One surface point can be the closest one to different space
standardized description of lightning parameters [1], and that points (with different radii). Therefore for each surface point
it takes into account negative and positive first short strokes. all probability values which were calculated for it must be
added. The sum of those is the final probability that lightning
will strike there. If one space point has two or more surface
points with similar distance, the probability of a stroke to one
of these surface points is distributed equally.
As the last step, the sum of the probabilities to all surface
points is normalized to the total probability of 100% for a
lightning stroke to the entire structure.
In this context is must be mentioned, that only the pure
geometrical distance between the space point and the surface
point is determined. Any electric field enhancement effect at
exposed points of the structure (e.g. air-termination tips,
corners of the structure) is disregarded, because these effects
are assumed to be valid only in the close vicinity to exposed
Figure 3. Density functions F(r) for the rolling sphere radius r based on the surface points. With that, those enhancement effects do not
lightning current peak value descriptions, given in [1]. influence remarkably the starting process of the final jump, at
least for flat objects on the ground. However, if such an
influence should be considered, it would only further improve
the “efficiency” of corners and edges, as well as especially of
lightning rod tips. This would further increase the already high solution for this case. The given eight rods (four on the highest
values of the interception efficiency at those surface points. block of the structure in the back, four on the “roof
Hence, the approach of the dynamic electro-geometrical model protrusion” in the front, height 2m) catch about 94% of all
can be assumed to be conservative. strokes.
The dynamic electro-geometrical model can be applied for III. DIMENSIONING OF THE AIR-TERMINATION RODS FOR
arbitrarily complex structures [6]. An example gives Fig. 5, THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
showing the geometry of the structure (lengths, widths, and
heights), as well as the probabilities at the most vulnerable The further investigations are based on a simple structure
points of this building, usually at the corners of the individual with a flat and quadratic roof area of 40m x 40m and a height
roofs, without any lightning protection measures. of 10m. For this roof a protection with air-termination rods
should be installed. The class of the LPS (I – II – III – IV) or
the associated radii r of the rolling-sphere (20m – 30m – 45m –
60m), resp., and the distances d of the air-termination rods (5m
– 10m – 20m – 40m), arranged in quadrates are varied. The
necessary height h of the air-termination rods is a result of the
maximum penetration distance p:

d2
p  r  r2 
 2  

with: r radius of the rolling-sphere (= length of the final

jump);
d distance of the air-termination rods (= side length
of the quadrates built by the rods).
Please note, that d is the side length of the quadrates built
by the rods, whereas for the maximum penetration p the
diagonal of the quadrates must be considered. If no roof
systems have to be protected, we may assume: h = p. Fig. 7
shows an example for this arrangement of air-termination rods.
Figure 5. Example of a complex structure.

Figure 7. Nine air-termination rods as protection of the flat roof for LPS
class III (d = 20m) – necessary minimum height h = 2,3m.

Table III displays the minimum heights of the air-

termination rods, which are necessary for the individual
combination of the LPS class (or rolling-sphere radius, resp.)
and the rod’s distance. The case of a LPS class I using only
four air-termination rods (i.e. d = 40m) does not fulfil the
standard requirements; consequently it is missing in Table III.
Figure 6. Example of a system of eight air-terminations rods for the complex
structure catching about 94% of all strokes – Interception efficiencies. Additionally Table III gives the interception efficiencies W1
for the individual classes of a LPS, which follow from IEC
It is assumed, that a LPS class III is to be installed. Based 62305-1 [1]. Indeed, this part of the standard series does not
on [1, 4] such a LPS must have an interception efficiency of at define interception efficiencies directly. However, they are
least 91%, i.e. 91% of all possible lightning strokes must be given indirectly via the so-called “minimum values of lightning
captured by the air-terminations. Fig. 6 shows a possible parameters”.
 TABLE III. MINIMUM HEIGHTS H [IN M] DEPENDING ON THE CLASS OF TABLE V. INTERCEPTION EFFICIENCIES W2 [IN %] ACCORDING TO THE
THE LPS OR THE RADIUS OF THE ROLLING-SPHERE, RESP., AND THE DISTANCE DYNAMIC ELECTRO-GEOMETRICAL MODEL DEPENDENT ON THE CLASS OF THE
D OF THE AIR-TERMINATION RODS LPS AND THE DISTANCE D OF THE AIR-TERMINATION RODS.
LPS Rolling Distance of air-termination Interception LPS class Distance of air-termination rods d [m]
class -sphere rods d [m] efficiency [1, 4]
radius W1 [%] 5 10 20 40
5 10 20 40
r [m] I 99,97 99,97 99,96 -
I 20 0,3 1,3 5,9 - 99 II 99,92 99,92 99,93 99,74
II 30 0,2 0,9 3,6 20 97
III 99,83 99,84 99,81 99,79
III 45 0,15 0,6 2,3 10 91
IV 60 0,1 0,4 1,7 7,1 84 IV 99,53 99,56 99,64 99,65

A lightning protection system may fail in two different

directions:
- The sizing efficiency documents, that components of the
LPS may be overloaded, if certain parameter values of
lightning currents are exceeded. Hence, the components
may be damaged or even destroyed. This happens in case
of very high lightning current parameters. Therefore a set
of maximum values of lightning parameters is fixed in IEC
62305-1 [1] for each LPL.
- With the interception efficiency it is intended to
demonstrate, that a LPS does not intercept a certain
percentage of natural lightning strokes. For reason of
simplification IEC 62305-1 [1] fixes a set of minimum
values of lightning parameters for each LPL. Of course,
the interception efficiency is only linked to the air-
terminations of a LPS.
The superposition of both efficiencies according to IEC Figure 8. Interception efficiencies [in %] for LPS class I, distance of the air-
62305-1 [1] results in the values of the damage probabilities PB termination rods d = 5m, height h = 30cm – 99,97% of all lightning strokes
for a LPS to reduce physical damages, which are given in IEC appear to the 81 rods.
62305-2 [4] (see Table IV). These values are essentially
important for a complete risk analysis for structures.

TABLE IV. CORRELATION OF THE EFFICIENCIES OF A LPS AND THE

DAMAGE PROBABILITIES IN THE STANDARD SERIES IEC 62305.

Lightning protection level IV III II I

(LPL) [1] and class of lightning
protection system (LPS) [2]
Sizing efficiency [1] 0,97 0,97 0,98 0,99
Interception efficiency [1] 0,84 0,91 0,97 0,99
Summarized (Total) efficiency 0,80 0,90 0,95 0,98
Damage probability PB [4] 0,20 0,10 0,05 0,02

IV. REAL INTERCEPTION EFFICIENCIES USING THE DYNAMIC

ELECTRO-GEOMETRICAL MODEL
The 15 cases described in Table III are investigated using
the dynamic electro-geometrical model. Table V shows the
interception efficiencies W2 for the 15 cases, for a better
comparison in a similar structure like Table III. The values are Figure 9. Interception efficiencies [in %] for LPS class II, distance of the air-
the sum for all existing air-termination rods, i.e. the termination rods d = 10m, height h = 90cm – 99,92% of all lightning strokes
appear to the 25 rods.
percentages missing to 100% are the interception failures,
which still strike the roof between the rods. It can be assessed, that the real interception efficiencies
Fig. 8 – Fig. 11 show the results for four examples according to Table V are much higher than the values given by
graphically, every figure representing one class of the LPS and the standard series IEC 62305 [1, 4]. To show this once more
one distance d of the air-termination rods. The figures and in a more simplified mode, the predicted interception
demonstrate clearly the different interception efficiencies of failures for air-termination rods (1-W1) according to Tables III
rods at the roof’s corner, the roof’s edge, or the roof’s centre. and IV (IEC 62305) are compared with the real interception
failures (1-W2) according to Table V (dynamic electro-
geometrical model). The relation F = (1-W1)/(1-W2) given in TABLE VI. RELATION OF THE INTERCEPTION FAILURES F = (1-W1)/(1-W2)
DEPENDENT ON THE CLASS OF THE LPS AND THE DISTANCE D OF THE AIR-
Table VI explains for the air-termination rods planned and TERMINATION RODS.
installed according to IEC 62305-3 [2], how much more
“effective” they are, than assumed by the standard series itself. LPS class Distance of air-termination rods d [m]
For this comparison, however, one must take into account, that 5 10 20 40
the values for F are dependent on the geometry of the structure I 33 33 25 -
(length, width, height, roof pitch, roof systems, etc.). Hence,
II 37 37 43 11
the values of Table VI are valid only for the exemplary roof,
III 53 56 47 43
but not universally for the individual classes of a LPS.
IV 34 36 44 45

V. CONCLUSION
The dynamic electro-geometrical model presented in this
paper uses existing and internationally accepted data, relations
and investigations. Based on that, a numerical method is
established giving the real probabilities of lightning strokes to
different points on the surface of a structure. As supposed, the
edges and corners of the structures are more exposed than flat
surfaces.
It is shown that the interception efficiencies of air-
termination rods, planned and installed according to the
classical rolling-sphere method [3] are much higher, than
predicted in the standard series IEC 62305 itself. Reason for
that is the conservative approach of the rolling-sphere method,
giving the LPS planner all possible points-of-strike, without an
information about the striking probability. On the other hand
this indicates that planning air-termination rods with the
rolling-sphere method is on the “safe side”. However,
sometimes and for some special cases of LPS it may be useful,
Figure 10. Interception efficiencies [in %] for LPS class III, distance of the to know the real interception efficiencies of air-termination
air-termination rods d = 20m, height h = 2,3m – 99,81% of all lightning rods, and then to perform a more detailed risk analysis [4]. The
strokes appear to the nine rods.
dynamic electro-geometrical model may help to document the
improvement of the damage probabilities PB in such cases.

REFERENCES
[1] IEC 62305-1 Edition 2: 2010-12: Protection against lightning –
Part 1: General principles.
[2] IEC 62305-3 Edition 2: 2010-12: Protection against lightning –
Part 3: Physical damage to structures and life hazard.
[3] V. Cooray and M. Becerra, Attachment of lightning flashes to
grounded structures, in V. Cooray: Lightning Protection. The
Institution of Engineering and Technology, London (UK), 2010.
[4] IEC 62305-2 Edition 2: 2010-12: Protection against lightning –
Part 2: Risk management.
[5] Z.A. Hartono and I. Robiah, “The collection surface concept as a
reliable method for predicting the lightning strike location”. 25th
International Conference on Lightning Protection (ICLP),
Rhodes (GR), September 2000. pp. 328 – 333.
[6] A. Kern, Ch. Schelthoff and M. Mathieu, “Probability of
lightning strikes to air-terminations of structures using the
electro-geometrical model theory and the statistics of lightning
current parameters”. 30th International Conference on Lightning
Protection (ICLP), Cagliari (IT), September 2010. paper 750.
Figure 11. Interception efficiencies [in %] for LPS class IV, distance of the
air-termination rods d = 40m, height h = 7,1m – 99,65% of all lightning
strokes appear to the four rods.

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