A model of protection of earthed structures by means of lightning rod conductors

Lightning protection air terminals are placed on structures and other grounded objects with the purpose of capturing the lightning stroke. A well estimation of the lateral protection distance is crucial in predicting the protection area of the lightning rod. This paper focus on a 3-D numerical modelling of lightning attachment based on physical phenomena leading to the formation and the development of the positive upward discharges. The application of our physical model was made for rods on earthed structures. Our model takes into account the real nature of the protected area. The influence of the edges and the corners of the structure on the LPS is investigated. The purpose of our 3D model is to present numerical predictions in order to ensure an efficient lightning protection system.